Beet. Root.
August 19th 2008 06:10
Beetroot. Beet. Root.
Until recently, beetroot was, for this uneducated contributor, the evil, bloody product of the wicked witch of the vegetarian north. Then I discovered it doesn’t actually grow in tins.
Tinned beetroot is to real beetroot what Austria is to Australia. A poor imitation. Same (or almost the same!) name, half as good.
Just joking Austrians! Your country is fabulous and one of my best foodie memories is munching on a sweet blueberry dumpling the size of a soccer ball whilst perched high on a hill with a lonely goatherd.
But seriously. Back the issue of beet. root. For starters, it’s confusing. Is it beet? Or is it root? Is it just a very confused veggie with an identity crisis?
I recently experienced a beetroot epiphany which turned my root vegetable world on its head and launched my tastebuds into a parallel universe where beetroot, brussel sprouts and cabbage rule the world. (Never!)
Fresh beetroot are fantastic in their simplest form- roasted. Then grated. Then tossed with some grated carrot and a host of other dribs and drabs as described below.
Firstly, take three or four beetroot and top the leaves and stems. Leave the pointy tail intact and just give the skin a light scrub to get rid of unwanted parasites hanging on for the ride.
Put the beetroot in an oiled baking tray and bake at 180 C for around two hours, or until soft to the touch. Ten minutes before taking the beetroot, throw in three or four garlic cloves.
Let the beetroot cool and then grate it along with two or three carrots into a bowl. Crush the roasted garlic with the flat side of a knife and loosely mix through. Throw in a splash of white wine vinegar, a couple of generous lugs of olive oil and the mandatory pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Finally, mix through a handful of roughly chopped flat leaf parsley and… voila!
Beetroot has a new lease of life!
Until recently, beetroot was, for this uneducated contributor, the evil, bloody product of the wicked witch of the vegetarian north. Then I discovered it doesn’t actually grow in tins.
Tinned beetroot is to real beetroot what Austria is to Australia. A poor imitation. Same (or almost the same!) name, half as good.
Just joking Austrians! Your country is fabulous and one of my best foodie memories is munching on a sweet blueberry dumpling the size of a soccer ball whilst perched high on a hill with a lonely goatherd.
But seriously. Back the issue of beet. root. For starters, it’s confusing. Is it beet? Or is it root? Is it just a very confused veggie with an identity crisis?
I recently experienced a beetroot epiphany which turned my root vegetable world on its head and launched my tastebuds into a parallel universe where beetroot, brussel sprouts and cabbage rule the world. (Never!)
Fresh beetroot are fantastic in their simplest form- roasted. Then grated. Then tossed with some grated carrot and a host of other dribs and drabs as described below.
Firstly, take three or four beetroot and top the leaves and stems. Leave the pointy tail intact and just give the skin a light scrub to get rid of unwanted parasites hanging on for the ride.
Put the beetroot in an oiled baking tray and bake at 180 C for around two hours, or until soft to the touch. Ten minutes before taking the beetroot, throw in three or four garlic cloves.
Let the beetroot cool and then grate it along with two or three carrots into a bowl. Crush the roasted garlic with the flat side of a knife and loosely mix through. Throw in a splash of white wine vinegar, a couple of generous lugs of olive oil and the mandatory pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Finally, mix through a handful of roughly chopped flat leaf parsley and… voila!
Beetroot has a new lease of life!
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