Beet generation: Delicious beetroot-based recipes
VERSATILE and flavoursome, it’s time for the humble beetroot to take centre stage.
Beetroot orzotto is full of flavour and colour
Beetroot orzotto
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
300g (10½oz) cooked beetroots
400ml (14oz) chicken stock
1 medium onion, peeled
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tbsps olive oil
1 tsp caraway seeds
200g (7oz) orzo pasta
100ml (3½fl oz) white wine
30g (1oz) dill
200ml (7fl oz) sour cream
Warm ciabatta, to serve
Blend half of the beetroots with the chicken stock and gently warm through.
Finely chop the onion and garlic. Cook in a large pan over a medium heat with the olive oil and caraway seeds until transparent and fragrant.
Add the orzo and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add the white wine and cook out for 2-3 minutes.
Add the beetroots and stock then cook for 8-10 minutes.
Chop the dill and grate the remaining beetroots then stir them through the orzotto.
Serve with big dollops of sour cream and ciabatta.
Beetroot koftas
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 8-10 minutes
1 medium onion, peeled
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 tsps ground cumin
2 tsps ground coriander
¼ tbsp chilli flakes
150g (5¼oz) beetroots
500g (1lb 1¾oz) lamb mince
30g (1oz) fresh mint
30g (1oz) fresh coriander
Zest of 2 lemons
1 tsp flaky salt
8 flour tortillas
2 baby gem lettuces
150ml (5¼fl oz) yoghurt
Finely chop the onion and garlic. Sauté with olive oil until transparent and aromatic.
Add the cumin seeds, ground cumin, ground coriander and chilli flakes. Cook for another 2 minutes over a low heat.
Peel and grate the beetroots into a large bowl then mix with the lamb.
Roughly chop the mint and coriander. Mix into the lamb with lemon zest and salt.
Make into 8 equal balls then roll in your hand to form sausage shapes.
Thread on to metal skewers and lightly brush with oil.
Heat a griddle pan until it’s hot then griddle the koftas for 4 minutes on each side or until fully cooked. Warm the tortillas and fill with the koftas, lettuce and yoghurt.
Serve sumac-spiced beetroot dip with vegetable crisps (left)
Sumac-spiced beetroot dip
Serves: 12
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes
600g (1lb 5¼oz) raw beetroots
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 red chilli, stalk removed
1 lemon, halved
2 tbsps olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp apple sauce
2 tsps sumac
5g mint leaves
250ml (8¾fl oz) Greek yoghurt
100g (3½oz) pistachio nuts, shells removed and crushed
Vegetable crisps, to serve
Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4.
Remove the stalks from the beetroots and rinse. Wrap tightly in foil with the garlic, chilli, lemon, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Roast for 1 hour or until just cooked in the middle.
Let the beetroots cool a little so you can handle them. Using your fingers (gloves are a good idea if you don’t want beetroot-coloured hands), peel the skin and remove the roots from the beets.
Roughly chop the beetroots and put in a food processor with the peeled roast garlic, chilli, apple sauce, olive oil, sumac, mint leaves and juice of the roast lemon. Pulse until smooth.
Allow the beetroot dip to cool then mix in the Greek yoghurt and season to taste.
Sprinkle with crushed pistachios and serve with your favourite type of vegetable crisps.
Beetroot-cured salmon
Serves: 6
Preparation time: 24 hours
250g (8¾oz) flaky salt
190g (6¾oz) caster sugar
2 dried bay leaves
30g (1oz) fresh dill, chopped
15 twists of cracked black pepper
300g (10½oz) raw beetroots
600g (1lb 5¼oz) salmon fillet
1 tbsp horseradish sauce
1 tsp red-wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
A pinch each of salt and pepper
2 tbsps olive oil
2 fennel heads
3 carrots
2 green apples
Watercress Crispbread
In a large bowl, mix the flaky salt, sugar, crumbled bay leaves, half the dill and black pepper.
Rinse the beetroots then roughly grate, including the skin, into the salt and sugar cure. Combine well.
Dab the salmon dry and gently run your fingers up and down to check there are no pin bones left. Remove the bones with tweezers if needed.
Take a baking tin or container just bigger than the salmon fillet and line with a piece of clingfilm overlapping the edges.
Place ¹/³ of the beetroot cure into the container and press flat.
Put the salmon fillet, skin side down, on the cure then top with remaining cure.
Wrap tightly with clingfilm and place another container on top. Weigh down with a couple of tins and place in the fridge for 24 hours.
Carefully unwrap the salmon (there will be lots of liquid), gently rinse under cold water and dab dry with kitchen towel.
In a large bowl, mix the horseradish sauce, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Pour in the olive oil, slowly whisking continuously until emulsified.
Remove the outer leaves and stalks of the fennel. Finely slice on a food processor or mandolin and mix into the dressing.
Peel and julienne the carrot and apple then mix with the dressing and remaining dill.
Serve on a platter with the thinly sliced cured salmon, watercress and crispbreads.
Beetroot is a healthy addition to chocolate muffins
Beetroot and chocolate muffins
Serves: 8
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes
55g (2oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
70g (2½oz) light muscovado sugar
60g (2oz) golden caster sugar
250g (8¾oz) raw beetroot
2 large eggs
60ml (2fl oz) rapeseed oil
60ml (2fl oz) full-fat milk
1 tsp vanilla-bean paste
175g (6¼oz) self-raising flour
2 tbsps cocoa powder
A pinch of salt
100g (3½oz) white-chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4.
Lightly grease the muffin tins or place 8 muffin cups on a baking tray.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and both sugars.
Peel the beetroots and grate into the same bowl. Fold in the eggs then add the oil, milk and vanilla-bean paste. Fully combine.
Sift the flour and cocoa powder. Mix the dry mixture into the wet mixture and combine well with the salt and chocolate chips.
Divide between the muffin cups and bake for 15-20 minutes or until you place a skewer into the cake and it comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Remove from the tin and cool on a rack. Leave in the muffin cups if you are using them.
Recipes written by home economist Dominic Hoile
Styling by Victoria Gray Photographs by Winfried Heinze