Beets

The sweet Karenjane from Bare Feet and a Free Spirit has asked me to share some tips on cooking beetroot. I really only have one recipe of my own and other than that I just "wing it"....but I am more than happy to share what I do because I just love my fresh beets.

They are a fairly versatile vegetable and that colour, well!

You can simply pluck your beetroots straight from the garden and grate them fresh into a green salad.... but I like mine roasted.

All it takes to roast your beets is about an hour in the oven wrapped in foil for medium sized bulbs...about 180C should do it. Just check with a skewer if in doubt. After that the skins will peel away easily with your hand and you are ready to eat them with your other favourite vegetables or keep some handy in the fridge to quarter and throw through salads. I think they partner oranges beautifully in a tossed green salad or add a little goats cheese for an even more perfect salad experience!

I've also just learnt recently to make a vinaigrette with the roasted and peeled skins. Pop them in a saucepan, after you've peeled your baked beets, with some water and reduce it right down....then combine that with your olive oil and balsamic (or any vinegar of choice) as you would make a normal vinaigrette. I'd imagine this would be delicious over a mixture of roasted root veges or maybe even a pasta dish as well as salads.

Here is the recipe for the Moroccan Beetroot Salad from Saturday night......
2 Beetroot
1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon caster sugar
1 teaspoon of orange flower water (optional)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
You can cook your beetroot by simmering in a covered pan for 25 minutes or roast it in the oven (in foil) for about the hour. (I baked mine....I have never actually boiled beetroot). If you do boil, reserve 1 tbsp of the liquid when finished.
Cut the beetroot into small wedges and mix gently with the reserved water and other ingredients. Very easy and very delicious. If you can get the orange blossom water, do so because it is well worth it.

And of course, famously there is Borscht for which there are thousands of recipes that sadly I have never made but will be trying (I promise myself)with this years crop. There was a recipe for some here a while back kindly shared at The Bird Bath.

Oh and don't waste your greens! You can cook them up just like any other green.

Enjoy your Beets Karenjane and please share your results!