Beetroot. Why do I bother?

[seasidegirl]

Don't get me wrong I really do love beetroot. I've sown some seeds but find myself peering at the compost half hoping they won't grow. Trouble is I'm the only person in the family who actually likes it. Husband will eat small but very infrequent offerings but that's it.

Problem is that I like it cooked, rather than pickled in vinegar, so when some is ready I then have to boil it for about an hour and then cool it before eating in a salad. I suspect its not really economically viable considering the gas I use to cook it and then it doesn't last very long in the fridge. It's pretty cheap to buy in the shops too in vaccum packs.

Any feel the same or similar about beetroot? Any other suggested uses to justify all that boiling?

Cheers

[Green Aura]

If that's the only way you eat it then I'd probably have to agree! But have you tried other recipes? There's a few on here for cakes etc using beetroot. You can eat it raw, grated in salads etc. Borscht, of course, and other soups. I did a quick google and Abel and Cole had a string of beetroot recipes as long as your arm (well maybe not that long ).

You never know - the rest of your family may start to like it too!

[seasidegirl]

Thanks. I'll def investigate these other uses.

[pelmetman]

Try baking them in the oven delicious. Also in the summer we wrap them in foil and pop on the BBQ. And don't forget to eat the new leaves they give extra taste and colour to a salad.

[red]

it freezes very well - boil or steam it as you normally do, then peel and freeze. if you do that you can do a large batch, and just thaw some now and then for your own use.

I actually serve it as a vegetable - hot or cold, with things like quiche

and you can do it as a vegetable in a white sauce (well its a pink sauce when its done)

[bonniethomas06]

Grate it on salad raw in little matchsticks, lovely especially with carrots.

Or grate and add to homemade coleslaw - turns it pink and is delicious.

I have managed to keep about twenty to use gradually over winter in the garage, in a box of dryish earth - so you can store some over winter as well.

Oh and chop and roast as per parsnips with your sunday roast.

Can you tell, I LOVE beetroot!!!

[Amateur]

Roast beetroot is amazing! Roasted, cooled a little in a bowl with some salad leaves, smoked mackerel and horseradish dressing... mmmmm

[Odsox]

Have you tried the white variety ?
I know some on here don't like it (MMM) but my OH prefers it to red.
It's sweeter than red and doesn't bleed all over your plate and more importantly maybe in your case, doesn't LOOK like beetroot.
There's also a yellow variety that looks like swede.

[Andy Hamilton]

Or turn them into wine - http://www.selfsufficientish.com/forum/ ... 19&t=17138

Incidentally, I like picking very young beetroot, the size of gob stopper. Fry that up in butter, delicious.

Although, if you really are not enjoying growing them indeed why bother. Especially if you are willing them not to come up. Every year we grow lettuce, loads of it and end up with it going to seed on our allotment. I am not the biggest fan and think you can forage much tastier leaves. So... I am not going to buy any lettuce seed this year and just try and not mention it, I would rather grow something that we both like!

[southeast-isher]

I'm not a soup lover but Polish style beetroop soup really is delicious i reckon :-)

[bonniethomas06]

Amateur, that sounds lovely, please tell me how you make the horseradish dressing?

[Minnesota]

It was mentioned twice already.
But I will mention it again.
Roasted yes !!!

I often use my outside smoker grill as an indirect heat oven
for roasting Beef, it gets a little smoky flavor.
I usually have some whole potatoes and or whole Beets
NO FOIL, they roast up nice and get a little smoky flavor also.
the sweet of the Beet with the smokiness is just wonderful

make extra, refrigerate the smoky beets then serve cold
sliced with a drizzle of Olive oil and a fresh basil leaf.
they are great for Hors d'oeuvres.

[Carltonian Man]

We never boil beetroot. If cooking it we peel first, slice 5mm thick and microwave for three minutes in a lidded pyrex with a couple of tablespoons of water. Next it usually then goes in a frying pan for a couple of minutes with a splash each of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey along with slices of fresh ginger. It always seems to cook well and saves on the gas bills.

[seasidegirl]

These suggestions are fantastic - thanks. I can't believe that I could freeze the cooked beet and didn't know. Sounds perfect for my just-for-me portions. Also cooking in the microwave and grating raw on salads.

I'd like to try the cake but will have to think of a way of selling it to the family who are a suspicious lot. Perhaps the white beetroot is the way. Mind you I've just perfectly disguised some carrots by burning them til they went black but didn't need to as they actually like carrots.

[Millymollymandy]

I'm going to bookmark this topic because I am embarassed to say the only thing I've ever done with beetroot is cook it, cut it into chunks then put oil and vinegar on it - love it like this but I really need to be more adventurous! So this year it will be grated raw and I will make that chocolate and beetroot cake!