And the beets go on
You can do so much more with beetroot than pickle it. Grate it into delish dishes, says Nicola Galloway.
The rich, deep colour and flavour of beetroot is something I crave at this time of year. Beetroot can be grated raw into a salad, or roasted whole and cut into slices to be tossed in balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Another favourite use is in baking, where the natural sweetness of beetroot brings a touch of goodness.
All-the-goodness beetroot salad
This salad is packed with flavour and texture from the raw vegetables, herbs and crunchy seeds. Later in the season I will also add grated turnip or celeriac. The herbs can be varied depending on what’s at hand.
Preparation time: 20 minutes Serves 4 as a side
Salad
1 large beetroot (250g), peeled and grated
2 carrots (200g), grated
1 apple, grated
Large handful of fresh herbs – parsley, coriander, dill, mint 3 tbsp sunflower seeds
3 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 tsp soy sauce or tamari
Balsamic dressing (makes enough for two salads)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp whole grain mustard 1 tsp honey
Pinch of salt
Combine the grated beetroot, carrot, apple and chopped herbs in a salad bowl.
In a heavy-based frying pan drytoast the seeds until golden and beginning to pop. Tip into a bowl and stir through the soy sauce or tamari.
Combine dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well. Pour half of the dressing over the salad and toss. Check taste, adding extra dressing if needed. Sprinkle with half of the seeds and serve extra at the table. Leftover salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and consumed the next day.
Chocolate, prune and beetroot brownie
With the cooler days knocking, I feel the need for something decadent and rich at afternoon tea time. This not-too-sweet brownie pairs earthy beetroot and pops of tart prunes. Chopped walnuts would also make a nice addition – add 1⁄2 cup along with the prunes.
Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes Makes 12 squares 200g good quality dark chocolate 150g butter or 150ml olive oil
1⁄2 cup (100g) sugar
1⁄2 cup (80g) white flour
1⁄2 cup (50g) cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 cup (80g) pitted prunes, roughly chopped
3⁄4 cup (120g) finely grated* raw beetroot, loosely packed
4 eggs
Preheat the oven to 170C. Line a 20 x 25 baking tin with baking paper.
Place the chocolate, butter and sugar into a saucepan. Stir over a low heat until melted. Remove from the heat.
Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and chopped prunes in a large mixing bowl. Pour over the melted chocolate mixture, add the grated beetroot and stir to combine. Add eggs one at a time mixing well with each addition until a silky batter forms.
Pour into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until firm to touch and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.
Serve the brownie warm or cold. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
*Note: it is important to finely grate the beetroot so the beetroot softens into the cooked brownie crumb. If you only have standard-sized grater holes, finely chop the beetroot after coarsely grating.