Beetroot Love – not just for salad!

What is it about this ruby jewelled, slightly earthy but in a good kind of way delight of beetroot that makes me love it so very much? Frankly it makes the chopping board and surrounding area look like we need to call in CSI and no matter how careful I am I always seemingly manage to get some on me too! Disposable gloves are an essential kitchen tool for dissecting these beautiful beets!

I wonder if it my very watered down Polish roots? Hmm something to explore anyway… am completely hooked on beetroot and horseradish relish which I buy in bulk quantities, it goes with everything from salads to fish fingers..

Some time back I was extremely fortunate  to be gifted a bag of homegrown beetroot from my lovely uncle T's mum, it so fresh you could smell the damp earth on it! Quite surprisingly whilst I am a beetroot addict, for some reason I had never actually got my hands on the raw beauties! And now following a crash, self taught course it will never, ever be far away from my culinary reportiore. Except of course when dad comes round, who will eat anything…except beetroot!

I am now on a mission to convert those who think beetroot simply comes in vinegar at dodgy family parties - trust me there is more to it!

Honey and mustard roasted baby beetroot 
2 beetroots
Heaped tsp Wholegrain mustard
Good drizzle of Honey
Tbsp or so of raspberry vinegar

These were test batch one – simply sprayed with a little oil, loosly tucked up into a foil bed and roasted until tender - try to roast similar sized beets. Then the foil was loosened, beets got glazed with the honey, mustard and vinegar, and baked for a further ten minutes. Serve warm as a side vegetable - ideal with beef

Also served up with a bacon, courgette and potato salad was simple and tasty lunch

So the roasting bit worked so very well, then came the almighty inexperienced question what to do with the other 9 beets I had... Previously I made a pretty awesome Christmas chutney without a proper recipe and since had requests for it so can’t be bad at these special experiments and turned my hand to pickle. It needs some refining but it fires up a salad nicely!

Sweet Beetroot and Mustard Pickle:


2 beets, microwaved 15 minutes trimmed and scrubbed
Red wine vinegar to fill a medium jam sized jar
heaped tsp Wholegrain mustard
2 tbsp Dark muscovado sugar
S&p pinch of both

Start by microwaving the scrubbed beets in a suitable container, covered with cling film for 15 minutes or until tender and dice into small half centimetre chunks. Meanwhile boil the remaining ingredients fiercely for five minutes to reduce slightly - open the windows! Sterilise a suitable jar and fill with the diced beets (still hot) and pour over the liqor. Screw on the lid tightly and invert the jar to seal . 

Ideal served with salad:

Or a real favourite was to fry cooked sausage, with cooked diced beetroot, mushrooms, and finished with sweet chilli sauce – heavenly things, made more heavenly. Sweet, hot, spicy and meaty, its all good baby. Serve with rice.

So if you are not yet converted, why not? Try it...you might like it!