Beetroot – The Purple Monster?
Beetroot – The Purple Monster?
Beetroot has seen a resurgence on the country's restaurant menus, saved from unfair associations with school dinners and the crinkled cut versions you can find in jars.
Its deep crimson colour and its distinctive sweet but earthy taste has made it a favourite ingredient with chefs and because it is such a versatile vegetable and can add vibrancy and colour to dishes.
Beetroot is more usually associated with winter, but it's in spring and summer that it is at its best and sweetest. If you get them whole, with leaves and stems still attached, make sure you use those too - swiss chard is basically the leaves of a beet plant.
Beetroot must be handled with care when preparing to avoid looking like you have taken part in a Murder Mystery weekend! To preserve their colour and nutrients, beetroot should never be cut or peeled before cooking them in liquid; otherwise, they will "bleed" their rich red juices and lose their appetising colour. Instead scrub the beets gently and rinse well and leave at least 1 inch of stem and don't trim the root.
Beetroot is so useful you can use it in every course of a meal and even make beetroot juice or wine with it. You could slice paper thin, brush with all and roast in a hot oven until you get sweet beetroot crisps; make the traditional Russian, cold soup Borsch, liven up salads; make eye-catching colourful risottos, baked whole in foil and served as an accompaniment with meat or fish; or even grated in a cake mixture. The choices are endless!