Picked
I have officially declared this week as 'beat the beet week'. I think we are going to have to be pretty serious about eating them to get the numbers down to a reasonable level. Tonight I am trying Suburban Tomato's Beetroot, fetta and mint salad but think I will use vin cotto (just becasue I have it) with olive oil in my dressing instead of ST's suggestion. Might also be nice with some roasted pine nuts.
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| today's beetroot pick |
- a big pile of beetroot
- 3 punnets of tomatoes (berries and cherries)
- 2 cucumbers
- handfull of chillies
I have officially declared this week as 'beat the beet week'. I think we are going to have to be pretty serious about eating them to get the numbers down to a reasonable level. Tonight I am trying Suburban Tomato's Beetroot, fetta and mint salad but think I will use vin cotto (just becasue I have it) with olive oil in my dressing instead of ST's suggestion. Might also be nice with some roasted pine nuts.
You could always boil and pickle them. Think my neighbour boiled them and then bottled them in half sugar, half vinegar. That way they can be around for an age
ReplyDeleteIts a good idea... I just have a morbid fear of that pickled beetroot flavour that all Australian's experienced (or at least all Australian's of my generation) in their childhood. That tinned beetroot stuff we used to get in hamburgers - when hamburgers were made by the local unfranchised takeaways by railway stations and beach sides - and salad sandwiches when we were young (or when I was young anyway!).It took me ages to like real betroot actually. Then i discovered roasted beetroot and grated fresh beetroot. But maybe if I find a very nice recipe for pickled beetroot it wont taste like the tinned stuff of our childhood memory. I am sure there are some - maybe with some spices? And pickled whole instead of in those ghastly slices of childhood memory.
DeleteThankyou for the link - I think they'd be lovely with Vin Cotto. I find they usually only go woody if they bolt, or have grown really really slowly. I had some beetroot chutney tonight - must be a beetrooty kind of day.
ReplyDeleteSorry your comment came up so delayed. It sat in my 'possibly spam' list for some reason. The Vino Cotto was fabulous with this but the salad is just a great one anyway, so simple, so good. You were right - the beets weren't woody at all - they have been such a delight to eat.
DeleteI use Rhonda's recipe for pickling beetroot: http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com.au/2011/11/freezing-and-pickling-vegetables.html
ReplyDeleteEveryone who tried it loved it, but then again, I don't mind tinned beetroot either.
My beetroot has been a bit of a flop this year and I'm devastated I can't make another batch.
Will check it out! Thanks
DeleteLouise, I am totally with you: I HATED beets as a kid, because all I'd ever tried were those horrible ones that came sliced in a can. It took me until my 30s to actually eat a freshly cooked beetroot, and I was shocked. The source of my conversion was my wonderful friend Meenakshi, from Delhi, who's an awesome Indian cook. She made a beetroot curry that I still remember fondly. Here's a recipe I've tried (not hers, unfortunately!) but it's not bad:
ReplyDeleteBeetroot Sabji (Chukandar) Recipe
1 bunch ruby red beetroot with greens (3 medium beets), diced
1 inch piece of ginger root, finely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 medium green chili
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin seed
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
1/4 tsp black pepper
garam masala
1/4 - 1/2 cup olive oil as needed
Heat oil, add cumin seeds until they pop. Add onions and fry, then garlic, chili and turmeric. Add beets and greens, cover and simmer until done. Add salt, pepper and garam masala to taste.