The beet goes on

The vegetable that she loved to hate as a child is now a firm favourite, says Rachel Allen, who can’t get enough of the purple wonder that is beetroot

Unashamedly purple and earthily sweet in flavour, beetroot is constantly being lauded as the next superfood of choice. Thought to contain stratospherically high amounts of nutrients, beetroot has been praised for everything from helping to lower high blood pressure to detoxifying the liver.

Bursting with a whole host of goodies such as folic acid, fibre, iron, calcium, and Vitamins A and C, beetroot can also be yellow, pale pink or even stripy in appearance. However, the deep purple root, as we know it, is the one that apparently boasts the highest nutritional status, and of course if it’s organic, even better again.

When buying or picking beetroot, don’t forget to use the leaves as well as the root, if they’re still attached.

Like the beet’s cousins, spinach and chard, the leaves can be added into salads, or sauteed or steamed for a delicious side dish. The roots themselves are just as happily eaten raw, like in the slaw here in this page, or whizzed up in juices. The roots can be boiled or roasted and, of course, pickled too.

The sweet earthiness of beetroot makes

“The deep purple root is the one that apparently boasts the highest nutritional status”

them a perfect partner for tangy goats’ cheese and they love the buttery crunch of nuts too. I love adding a splash of good vinegar like a rich red wine vinegar or balsamic when roasting beetroot.

The Scandinavians love their beet and kale and often serve them both raw in salads. I love the recipe here, which has a delicious zingy dressing with a bit of horseradish kick. A super way to use up leftover bread. I like the tang and chew of a good sourdough for this one.