Preparing & Cooking Beetroot

When pulled young, before the flesh becomes stringy, you can peel and grate raw beetroot to eat as a salad. Perhaps add some zesty grated horseradish or dress with orange juice, sea salt and black pepper. If you cook the beets, don’t peel them. Instead, leave the stringy root and 3–4 cm of leaf stalks intact. This helps to prevent the colour and flavour leaching out into the cooking water. Boil the beets until tender; this can take an hour or more depending on their size. Then put them in a bowl of cold water and rub the skin off with your thumbs – it will come away easily. Make a warming soup by cooking grated raw beetroot and onion in stock; whizz it all in a blender, season well and top with a dollop of crème fraîche. Cooked, grated and served hot, beetroot is a great accompaniment for pork or poultry. Very slowly baked, the high sugar content creates a gourmet dish to serve with crème fraîche.

Egyptian beetroot dip
1. Cook 5 medium beetroots for 30–40 minutes until tender. Drain, cool slightly and rub off the skins.
2. Process the beetroot in a food processor. Add 11⁄4 cup natural yogurt, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1⁄4 cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1⁄2 teaspoon each ground coriander, cumin, cinnamon and paprika. Blend well and season with salt and pepper. Chill, then serve with crusty bread.