5 tips for cooking mouth-watering beetroot
Don’t peel or cut beetroot prior to cooking or the colour (and nutrients) will leach out. Instead, gently scrub the beets to clean thoroughly and twist off the green tops and then either:
1. Roast:
Small to medium beets can be roasted whole, or cut into quarters. Boil for 15-20 minutes, drain and place in a roasting tin. Lightly coat with oil and seasoning and roast at 180C/360F/Gas 4 for 40-45 minutes (timing will vary depending on the size of the beets).
2. Boil:
Put beetroot in a pan of water, bring to the boil and heat for 40-45 minutes. Beetroot is quite high in sodium so you don’t need to season.
3. Bake:
Preheat oven to 170C/325F/ Gas 3. Put the whole beets into a baking dish, cover with foil and cook for 1-2 hours (depending on the size of the beets). Leave until cool enough to handle, and remove the skins - they should slip off fairly easily.
4. Raw:
Raw beetroot can be peeled and grated to add a sweet flavour and great colour to salads, or try juicing it with other vegetables such as carrots and celery. Use gloves or a plastic sandwich bag to hold beetroot when grating it to avoid pink fingers!
5. Clean it up:
If you avoid it because of the pink stains it can leave, simply rub your hand with lemon juice and salt before washing with soap and water. On fabrics, rub a slice of raw pear on the stain before washing in a biological powder. Use a bleach solution for cutting boards and containers.
Have a try with these beetroot recipies here or learn how to grow your own beetroot here
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