Eye-popping magentas. Glorious yellows. Even striped like a peppermint lollipop.

Beets are delectable, bulb-shaped wonders. Artistic root vegetables.

Lots of kids hate them. Weird, they say. But I've converted too many beet bigots to be daunted by childhood palate prejudice.

Beet appreciation is something that flourishes with proper exposure. Not the overboiled, tin-canny kind. But fresh beets, brimming with earthy sweetness. Roasted, baked or grilled, they're irresistible.

Flavorwise, they're kind of a cross between a sweet carrot and an earthy wild mushroom. Colorwise, they're a feast for the eye.

Fresh beets are hip. Showcased in salads, soups, side dishes and risottos, they're showing up on trendy restaurant menus across the country.

Preparation: There are several ways to cook beets. Whichever technique you choose, start with the same routine. Cut off stalks no less than 2 inches from the root. It's important to leave some stalk to prevent bleeding. Gently wash beets. Don't scrub beets vigorously; it might break the skin and cause bleeding. Leave them unpeeled for cooking. When they are cool enough to handle, slip off the peels.

Beets take some time to cook, especially if they're large. But these root beauties can be prepared in advance, peeled and refrigerated for several days.

Roasting: Rub beets with a smidgen of olive oil and sprinkle with a little kosher salt. Place in a single layer on a roasting pan. Bake in a 350-degree oven. Test for doneness (tenderness) by piercing with the point of a knife. Roasting times vary, depending on size, from 30 to 70 minutes.

Baking: There are two ways to bake beets. Wrap beets, not more than three to a packet, in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake in a 400-degree oven. Or place beets in a single layer on a roasting pan and add about one-half inch of water; cover pan with aluminum foil and seal edges. Bake in a 375-degree oven.

Test for doneness by piercing with the point of a knife. Baking times vary, depending on size, from 30 to 70 minutes.

Steaming: Set beets in a steaming basket, cover and steam until tender, about 35-55 minutes, depending on size.

Grilling: Not a speedy technique, but very delicious. Place beets in a large, cast-iron skillet and drizzle them with olive oil. The skillet will keep in moisture. Slow grilling will impart a slight smoky flavor. The beets need a long time to cook because they are so dense. Cook over moderately hot charcoal fire and cover with barbecue lid. Cook 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (See recipe for Charcoal-Roasted Beets and Red Onions.)

Beet partners: Some folks think that butter and salt are a cooked beet's best friend. But cooked beets pair beautifully with vinaigrettes, too. Use beets-with-a-vinegar-spark in salads or as an accompaniment to pate or prosciutto.

Alice Waters, founder and proprietor of Chez Panisse Restaurant in Berkeley, Calif., suggests cooked beets with some of these acid accents in her book "Chez Panisse Vegetables" (HarperCollins, 1996, $32.50): cooked beets with sherry or balsamic vinaigrette with blood oranges and mache (a gourmet green); cooked beets with balsamic vinegar, shallots and toasted walnuts; cooked beets with sherry vinegar, orange zest, fresh tarragon and a little minced garlic.

The flavor and color combination of mangoes and beets is a knockout. Make a dressing with a pureed mango base and boost the flavors with some hot curry powder and honey.

Toss the cooked beets with the vinaigrette, serve them over mixed greens and garnish with mango slices. It's a wonderful first course when serving an Asian-derived or tropical main dish.

Other ingredients that pair well with beets include yogurt, sour cream, parsley, dill, cilantro, onions and apples.

Rice, too. Red beets turn risotto, the classic rice dish of Northern Italy, a striking intense pink. Serve it as a first course to an entree of roast chicken scented with garlic and fresh herbs.

Ah, it's enough to fire up some real beet passion. So if you thought you'd sworn off beets for life, you might reconsider your game plan. Be part of the beet generation.

Beet appreciation is something that flourishes with proper exposure. Here are a few recipes to try.

Charcoal Roasted Beets and Red Onions

Makes 4 side-dish servings

6 small fresh beets, trimmed of all but 2 inches of greens (about 1 1/2 pounds trimmed weight) and unpeeled

2 medium red onions, unpeeled

2 tablespoons olive oil, extra-virgin preferred

1/3 cup chicken broth

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, divided use

salt and pepper to taste

Prepare a moderately hot charcoal fire in a grill that has a cover.

Place beets and red onions in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet and drizzle with olive oil. Place skillet over fire and cover the grill unit, and roast the vegetables 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the vegetables.

You may have to leave the beets in a little longer than the onions. The onions should be soft to the touch, and a fork should pierce the beets easily.

Alternately, you can roast the beets in a skillet in a 400-degree oven.

Remove vegetables from skillet with tongs. Add broth, vinegar and 1 teaspoon thyme to the skillet, place over high heat and boil liquid, scraping bottom of skillet for about 4 minutes or until it's dark, glossy- brown and syrupy. Season with salt and pepper.

Peel beets and onions when they're cool enough to handle. Slice the beets into julienne strips and onions into thin rings. Spoon liquid over onions and beets, add remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme and stir well to combine. Heat briefly and serve.

Per serving: 117 calories, 7.2 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, no cholesterol, 209 milligrams sodium, 55 percent calories from fat

- From "The Dean and DeLuca Cookbook" by David Rosengarten (Random House, 1996, $35)

Beet Risotto

Serves 4

5 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth, divided use

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon oil

1/3 cup minced onion

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 whole fresh beets, green tops removed, washed, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)

1/4 cup whipping cream

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

garnish: sprigs of fresh Italian parsley

Place broth in saucepan; bring to a simmer. Turn heat to low and keep broth at a low simmer.

Heat butter and oil in a heavy-bottom 4-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until it begins to soften, being careful not to brown it.

Add rice and stir for 1 minute, making sure all the grains are well-coated. Add wine and stir until wine is completely absorbed. Add beets and 1/2 cup of the hot broth. When broth is almost completely absorbed, add another 1/2 cup of hot broth. Stir for 30 seconds. Continue to cook on medium to medium-high heat, adding broth in half-cups, stirring for 30 seconds and cooking until almost all the broth is absorbed.

After about 18 minutes, when the rice is tender but still a little firm and all broth has been added and absorbed, remove from heat and stir in cream, Parmesan and chopped parsley. Stir vigorously to combine.

Presentation: Spoon into 4 shallow bowls and garnish each bowl with a sprig of fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley. Serve immediately.

Per serving: 530 calories, 22 grams fat, 9.4 grams saturated fat, 43 milligrams cholesterol, 1,445 milligrams sodium, 37 percent calories from fat

- Adapted from "Risotto" by Judith Barrett and Norma Wasserman (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1987, $22.50)

Beet and Mango Salad With Curried Mango Dressing

Serves 8

DRESSING:

1 ripe mango, pitted and peeled, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon hot curry powder

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup olive oil, extra-virgin preferred

SALAD:

1 1/2 pounds (6 medium) beets, tops trimmed to no less than 2 inches from root

2/3 cup diced red onion

12 cups bite-sized pieces of mixed sturdy salad greens, such as watercress, frisee and romaine

2 ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted and cut into long strips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare salad dressing: In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine 1 mango, vinegar, mustard, honey, curry powder, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Add oil and process to blend.

Prepare the salad: Tightly wrap 3 beets in each of 2 heavy-duty foil packets. Set in middle of preheated oven and bake until tender, about 1 hour. Test for doneness by piercing with the point of a knife. Remove from oven, open packets and when cool enough to handle, peel beets and cut them into 3/4-inch chunks.

In a medium bowl, toss beets with 1/4 cup of the dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Add onion and stir.

Presentation: Mound greens on a platter. Spoon beets onto greens. Place mango strips over and around the beets. Serve immediately, passing the remaining dressing and a pepper mill at the table.

Per serving: 193 calories, 14 grams fat, 1.9 grams saturated fat, no cholesterol, 136 milligrams sodium, 65 percent calories from fat

- Adapted from "Pamela Morgan's Flavors" by Pamela Morgan and Michael McLaughlin (Viking, 1998, $29.95)

Tartare of Beets With Humboldt Chevre

Serves 4

SALAD:

4 large beets, red or golden, stalks trimmed 2 inches from bulb

olive oil

kosher salt

3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons mustard seed

pinch dried red chili flakes

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups cider vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

BUTTERMILK VINAIGRETTE:

1 small red onion, grated; see note

1 clove garlic, minced

1 shallot, finely chopped

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

2 tablespoons olive oil or to taste

salt and pepper to taste

PRESENTATION:

8-10 ounces creamy goat cheese

1 small bunch watercress, washed and drained

4 small handfuls baby spinach, washed and drained

Note: Reserve onion juice to use in the vinaigrette.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the salad: Wash beets and rub with a little olive oil. Sprinkle with a little kosher salt and place in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan or in a roasting pan. Place in middle of oven for about 1 hour. Test for doneness by piercing with point of knife. If they're tender, they're done. Remove from oven and when cool enough to handle, peel and dice.

In a large saucepan combine ginger, garlic, red onion, mustard seed, chili flakes, sugar and cider vinegar. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. In a nonaluminum bowl, such as ceramic or glass, combine mixture with beets. Cool completely. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mixture can be prepared several days in advance and refrigerated airtight.

Prepare the vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, stir the red onion juice and garlic, shallot and red wine vinegar. Whisk in buttermilk. Whisk in olive oil, adding more if needed for proper taste and consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Presentation: Drain beet mixture and arrange in center of 4 dinner plates. At Troquet they form the mound into perfect circles using a ring mold. You can use an empty (and sterilized) tuna can to form the mound or simply make circular mounds and flatten them slightly. Top mounds with crumbled goat cheese, reserving some for garnish. Top mound with watercress. Spoon small puddles of buttermilk dressing sporadically around the mound. Top with spinach. Crumble reserved goat cheese over the top.

Per serving: 698 calories, 24.6 grams fat, 10.9 grams saturated fat, 31 milligrams cholesterol, 567 milligrams sodium, 32 percent calories from fat

- From Troquet Restaurant in Costa Mesa, Calif.

Pub Date: 10/14/98