Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Beetroot -- braising is best

If you belong to a vegetable box scheme, you're probably getting rather more beetroot at the moment than usually forms a part of your diet. That is my excuse for returning to the subject. (This was my previous entry.)

I have tried three methods of cooking them. First, I braised them in the oven. The second time, I roasted them in foil. The third time, I tried the hybrid method recommended in a Growing Communities leaflet: I boiled them, then roasted them. You wash them gently, put them in boiling water ( the leaflet said 30 minutes, but they needed an hour longer than that), peel them, and put them in the oven at gas mark 5/190 C for 15 minutes.

Method one is still my favourite. The beetroot were moister, and sweeter. Of course, I cannot be sure that they were not better beetroot, or that I was not simply lucky in timing them to perfection.

Sliced, and with a sprinkling of red wine or balsamic vinegar, they are a perfect complement to goat's cheese or feta. (On the subject of feta, I was pleased to see that the Times at the weekend shared my enthusiasm for the Cypressa brand.)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

actually, i'm getting rather a lot of swede at the moment - any thoughts on what to do with those apart from putting them in stews or roasting them?

Steve said...

They are rather nice boiled and mashed (as in the scottish "bashed neeps")with or without carrots. Lots of freshly ground black pepper and butter please.