Taste for a trend

Each week, our resident cook Anna Barnett inspires us to try out a hot ingredient, by using it in three dishes. This week...

CANDIED BEETS

Beetroot has become a big foodie thing – chefs including Yotam Ottolenghi and Nigel Slater are cooking with it and so are we; supermarkets have reported sales are up by a third, year on year. Beetroot really lives up to its reputation as a superfood – not just a provider of natural energy, it’s heart healthy and an effective kidney and body cleanser, too. Along with regular red beets, there are golden and candy versions (see ocado.com), which taste less earthy and give an elegant flavour. They’re lovely as a salad ingredient (with a sour or bitter leaf or cheese), or in soups, or as a side dish for a roast.