Everyone deserves
a well-earned break now and then and if you’re the type of person
who would like to combine a trip abroad with a delicious cooking experience,
this is the prize for you!
With
its beautifully vivid dark reddish-purple colour,
beetroot has to be one of the most distinctive
looking vegetables. Related to the sugar beet
and also known simply as beet, it is naturally
high in sugar and has an earthy, sweet flavour
with a hint of smokiness and a velvety smooth
texture when cooked. When buying, look for firm,
unblemished small to medium-sized beetroot with
crisp, fresh looking tops. Beetroot tops can also
be eaten the crinkly green leaves have an attractive
red stalk, cook and serve as for spring greens.
How To Use Beetroot
Beetroot
can be eaten raw or cooked. Tender baby beetroot
is the best choice if the beetroot is to be
served raw. Raw beetroot can be grated and included
in salads. Cooked beetroot can also be included
in salads, made into soups, such as the classic
Eastern European Bortsch, included in mixed
roast vegetable dishes or pickled in vinegar.
Baked or boiled beetroot can be sliced and tossed
in butter and parsley or dill and served as
an accompanying vegetable. Mint, horseradish,
fennel and caraway all go well with cooked or
raw beetroot.
How To Prepare Beetroot
Wash
the beetroot thoroughly; taking care not to
damage the skin or the colour and flavour will
bleed out during cooking. Trim the root to about
2.5 cm from the end and trim off any tops. If
serving raw beetroot, trim the roots and top
off and peel using a sharp knife or a vegetable
peeler.
How To Cook Beetroot
Beetroot
can be boiled or baked. To boil, place the whole
prepared beetroot in a pan of cold, salted water,
bring to the boil and simmer gently for 1 -
3 hours until tender, depending on size. The
beetroot is cooked when the skin slides off
easily when rubbed. Remove the skin before serving.
To bake, preheat the oven to 180C, gas mark
4, wrap the beetroot in foil and bake for 2
- 3 hours according to size. Remove the skin
before serving.
How To Store Beetroot
Keep
in the fridge for up to 1 week.
The
information and images for this article have come
from www.thinkvegetables.co.uk.
It provides full information on all the main vegetables
available on the UK market including nutritional information
and delicious recipes. The site is a service provided
by Mack Vegetables, one of the largest and most successful
suppliers of fresh vegetables in the UK, serving a
wide range of customers from caterers to major multiples.
You can find out more about Mack by visiting the website
at www.mwmack.co.uk
BEETROOT
How To Use Beetroot
