Hot and Aromatic Beet Stem Appetizer or Condiment

The stems on bunched beets often stay in fine shape even as the leaves become bedraggled. Cooked, the juicy stalks of red beets turn a warm garnet and add a dramatic touch to a meal as both flamboyant hue and forceful flavoring. (Stems from any beets can be used, but red ones are more fun.) Serve them as part of an appetizer salad or as a condiment/relish with an Indian meal. For a deliciously garish grain salad, toss with cooked quinoa, kamut, or wheat grains.