Beetroot recipes. Recipe ideas for beetroot from Abel & Cole

Beetroot recipes - Our favourite beetroot recipes so you can make the most out of your organic beetroot

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Beetroot recipes

Here's a collection of beetroot recipes from our weekly newsletters, and some lovely ones you've sent in. If you'd like more please have a look at our recipe index! To find out about our beetroot producer and order yours click here.

Beetroot Tips
Sara Blackmore's Beetroot Cake
Sweet Beetroot Salad
Spicy Beets and Carrots
Beetroot and Celery Salad
Chilled Beetroot Consommé
Beetroot Puree
Spicy Beetroot Salad
Spicy Beetroot Soup
Beetroot with Orange Sauce
Beetroot with Sour Cream
Beetroot Relish
Beetroot Soup with Feta
Beetroot Risotto with Greens
Beetroot Cake
Beetroot Salad with Walnuts and Goat Cheese
Beetroot Hash
Horseradish-Baked Salmon with A Creamy Beetroot Sauce
Roasted Beetroot Salad with Goat's Cheese and Pistachios
Beetroot, Carrot and Potato Cakes
Creamy Beetroot Dressing
Beetroot Houmous
Beetroot Ravioli with Broad Beans Pesto
A Toasty Beetroot, Gorgonzola Dolce, Walnut and Date Summer Herb Salad
Dark chocolate Ginger Beetroot Cake
Beetroot and Onion Chutney
Beetroot and Brie on Toast
My Granny's Pickled Beets
Keith's Lovely Beetroot Penne
Mediterranean-Kissed Chioggia Beetroot
Easy Beetroot Dip
An Earthy Beetroot, Apple, Pear, Walnuts and Stilton Salad
Balsamic Beetroot and Herb Salad
Pink Pancakes
Gorgeous Green & Pink Salad
Perfect Pink Soup

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Beetroot Tips

Beetroot bleeds and will stain your hands. Remove the stains with lemon, or wear gloves.

Raw:

Prepare beetroot by cutting off the tops and then peeling with a potato peeler. After peeling, beetroot can simply be grated, tossed with a little orange juice and eaten raw.

Boiled:

Beetroot can be boiled or steamed for 20-60 minutes depending on its size. It is cooked when you can pierce it easily with a skewer. Allow cooling and then the skins will just slip off.

Baked:

Beetroot can also be baked. Wash, trim the stalks and wrap each beetroot separately in foil. Place in a moderate oven for about 40 minutes, then serve.

Sara Blackmore's Beetroot Cake

Sara is the wife of our Devon-based beetroot farmer. Her husband, Cyril, wrote to us raving about this recipe. He says it will convert those who aren't quite sure about beetroot.

Sara inherited this recipe from her mother. She says, "I sometimes add some cocoa powder or chocolate to the cake ingredients to make chocolate beetroot cake even nicer!!! I don't usually bother with the icing it's nice just as it is."

Serves 8-10.

Icing, optional

225g half fat cream cheese
85g icing sugar
2 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 180C.

Sift flour and spices. Stir in sugar, nuts, beetroot and bananas. Make a well in the centre add eggs and oil and beat till incorporated. Put into an 8in deep sided round cake tin and bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

To make icing: Beat together the cheese sugar and lemon juice till smooth. Decorate the cake and enjoy!

Sweet Beetroot Salad

225 g beetroot
225 g carrots

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
75 ml organic olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil the beetroot in their skins until tender (you can also do this in a glass dish in the microwave). Cool, peel and then chop the beetroot. Peel the carrots and then grate them. Mix the two vegetables together in a dish and then pour the dressing over the top.

Spicy Beets and Carrots

Cut the beetroot and carrots into slices or chunks. Steam or boil the carrots in lightly salted water about 5 minutes or until tender but not soft. Drain. Combine the ginger, sugar, orange juice, vinegar, orange zest and spices in a saucepan and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook until thickened. Simmer the cooked beets and carrots in this sauce for about 5 minutes before serving.

Beetroot and Celery Salad

Hard boil the egg and then peel and slice it. Prepare the beetroot by washing it and then boiling for approximately 45 minutes or until it is tender. Peel and tail and then chop into cubes. Chop the celery. Combine the beetroot and celery in a bowl. Mix the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and pour the dressing over the salad. Toss gently and serve over the lettuce leaves. Slice the hard-boiled egg and place on top.

Chilled Beetroot Consommé

This summer soup requires no fat for cooking and is ideal if you're slimming for summer. Be sure to use raw beetroot.

700 g (1 & 1/2 lb) raw beetroot peeled and chopped
10 large spring onions, chopped
A sprig of thyme
1 clove of garlic, crushed
A few parsley stalks
A bay leaf
A 2 inch strip orange zest
2 & 1/2 pints of water
1 cucumber
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and freshly milled black pepper

To garnish:
5 fl oz natural or low fat yoghurt
2 tablespoons snipped chives

Put the prepared beetroot in a large saucepan with the chopped spring onions, the thyme, garlic, parsley, bay leaf and orange zest then pour in the water. Bring to the boil and simmer gently, uncovered, for about 1 hour. At the end of this time the beetroot will have lost its redness and have a pale look. Now peel and dice the cucumber, add it to the soup and simmer for about 10 minutes.Pour the soup through a sieve and leave to drain through (the soup becomes quite clear). Season to taste and add the vinegar and lemon juice to sharpen the flavour. Chill well and serve with yoghurt and a garnish of snipped chives.

Beetroot Puree

500 g cooked beetroot, roughly chopped
500 g potatoes, cooked and roughly chopped
90 ml soured cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (1 teaspoon dried)
Salt and pepper
25 g butter

Place the beetroot and potatoes together in a bowl with all of the ingredients except the butter. Puree down to a paste in a food processor. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Reheat gently in a pan with the butter when needed, although it is just as nice cold with bread sticks

Spicy Beetroot Salad

Mix together the lemon juice, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, salt, pepper and oil. Toss with the diced beets and parsley. Cover and chill for an hour or more. Serve over the lettuce leaves.

Spicy Beetroot Soup

1 lb firm raw beetroot, peeled and grated
1 medium potato, peeled and grated
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1 small onion
1.2 L vegetable stock
Salt and Pepper
A few drops of Tabasco sauce

Put all of the vegetables into a large pan and add the stock and seasoning. Bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 20 minutes until the beetroot and carrots have softened. Add a few drops of Tabasco, taste and adjust the seasoning as required.

Beetroot with Orange Sauce

1 cooked beetroot cut into strips
225 g dark brown sugar
150 ml malt vinegar
15 ml corn flour
Juice and grated rind of 3 oranges

Preheat oven to 150°C/ 300°F/ Gas Mark 2. Put the strips of beetroot onto a baking tray. Mix the sugar with the vinegar in a pan over low heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Mix the corn flour and some of the orange juice together and then add the rest of the juice to the pan with the grated rind. Simmer for another 5 minutes and then stir in the corn flour mixture to thicken the ingredients. Pour over the beetroot and then place in the oven to warm- about 5-10 minutes, or until ready to serve.

Beetroot with Sour Cream

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or chives
120 ml sour cream
1 teaspoon mild mustard
1 teaspoon onions, finely chopped
500 g beetroot, cooked, peeled and cubed
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix the parsley, sour cream, mustard, onion and seasoning together in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add the beetroot to the sauce and cook for a further 5-10 minutes, until the beetroot is very hot. Turn the beetroot into a hot serving dish and serve topped with extra sour cream, if desired.

Beetroot Relish

The flavour of fresh beetroot is a nice change to the normal canned variety. This relish is fantastic with Roast Lamb. Serves 4 to 6.

1 tablespoon sesame seeds 1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 large beetroot, peeled & grated
120 ml (4 fl oz) red wine

Heat a frying pan and toast the cumin and sesame seeds until browned slightly. Add oil, beetroot and sugar and stir to combine. Add the wine and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Beetroot Soup with Feta

A nourishing soup with a Mediterranean flavour. This soup is best with roast tomatoes, but if you’re in a hurry, tinned tomatoes or puree will be fine. Serves 3-4.

250 g (1/2 lb) beetroot, grated coarsely
250 g (1/2 lb) tomatoes, halved
1 clove garlic, chopped roughly
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive or sunflower oil
250 ml (8 fl oz) stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
60 g (2 oz) feta cheese

Place the halved tomatoes in an ovenproof dish. Throw over the garlic and drizzle over half the olive oil. Roast them for 25-30 minutes at 190°C/375°F/Gas mark 5 until soft and pulpy. Rub through a sieve to remove the skin and pips. Heat the remaining oil in a pan and sweat the onion for a few minutes until soft. Add the beetroot and the stock and bring to the boil. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Simmer gently for 7-10 minutes until the beetroot is tender. Stir in the tomato purée, transfer the soup to a blender and process until completely smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Reheat the soup until thoroughly hot but not boiling. Divide between warm bowls and crumble over a little feta into each bowl. Serve with crusty bread.

Beetroot Risotto with Greens

Serves 4.

Around 1.5 l (about 2 pints) vegetable or chicken stock
3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
350 g (12 oz) Arborio (risotto) rice
120 ml white wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, or 1 tablespoon dried
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, or 1 tablespoon dried
2 to 3 medium beetroots, peeled and grated
2 to 3 handfuls dark greens – like beet greens, kale, spinach or chard – finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated peel and juice of 1 lemon
1 handful freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Bring the stock to a simmer. Heat the butter in a separate wide pan over medium heat; add the onion, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the rice, stir to coat well, cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer until it’s absorbed, then stir in the parsley, basil, and the beets. Add 500ml stock, cover, and simmer until the stock is absorbed. Begin adding the remaining stock a ladle at a time, stirring constantly until each addition is absorbed before adding the next, until the rice is tender. Before the last ladle, add the beet greens or spinach. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the lemon peel and juice. Top with parmesan.

Beetroot Cake

This recipe has come from one of our customers, David Perry, who wanted to share his recipe which uses beetroot in a surprising way, but works very well!

Whizz the beetroot into a purée and add the eggs, and then the oil. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and add the beetroot purée. Bake at 180°C for about 30 minutes.

Beetroot Salad with Walnuts and Goat Cheese

Serve as a salad over lettuce (and washed beetroot greens), or wilted winter greens (cabbage, chard, kale), or on its own as a side dish to cold meats or quiche. Serves 4.

2 tablespoons walnut oil (or olive oil)
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
3 tablespoons minced shallot (or 1 tbsp red onion)
500 g (1 lb) beetroot, unpeeled and washed well
1 large handful walnuts, toasted in the oven
Salt and pepper to taste
100 g (4 oz) mild goat cheese

Whisk together the oil, vinegar and shallot in a small bowl. Trim beetroot stem and root ends and steam or boil for about 30 minutes, until tender when pierced. Chill completely, then remove the outer peel and cut into thin wedges. Dress the wedges with a small amount of the dressing, and gently stir in half of the walnuts. Serve as a side or on greens, drizzled with remaining dressing and sprinkled with walnuts and goat cheese.

Beetroot Hash

Serve with poached or fried eggs, toast and pickle. To cut down on preparation time, cook the potatoes and beetroot the night before. Serves 4.

450 g potatoes or sweet potatoes (or both), peeled and cut in finger width pieces
2 medium beetroots, peeled
6 bacon rashers, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
60ml double cream
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
Optional: 1/2 handful chopped fresh parsley

Steam the potatoes, covered, for 10 minutes or until tender and transfer to a bowl. Steam the beetroots for 10 minutes or until they are tender. Transfer to a bowl with the potatoes. Cook the bacon in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat until ut is brown. Remove with a slotted spoon, reserving 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in pan. Add the bacon, onion, cream, salt and pepper to the vegetables and mix. Heat the bacon fat over a medium-high heat and stir in the hash mixture. Flatten with a spatula to compact. Cook the hash until it is brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking until heated through, stirring up the bottom crust occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Horseradish-Baked Salmon with A Creamy Beetroot Sauce

Serve with simple potatoes or grains; serves 4.

2 medium beetroots, unpeeled. Trim the greens off, but you can eat them, so save them for later
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried
300 ml fish or vegetable stock
70 ml white wine
1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons horseradish sauce
4 fillets of salmon, 175 g each (enough for 4 people)
2 tablespoons crème fraîche or sour cream

Preheat oven to 220°C, 425°F, gas mark 7. Place the beetroot and garlic in a small baking dish, then cover and bake for about an hour, until they are tender. Lower the temperature of the oven to 200°C, 400°F, gas mark 6. Cool and peel the beetroot and garlic and set them aside. Combine the stock, wine and thyme in a saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes until the liquid is reduced by half. with a blender or food processor, blend this liquid and the balsamic vinegar with the beetroot and garlic until smooth, thinning with water if too thick. Arrange the salmon, skin side down, on a rimmed baking tray. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, and spread with the horseradish sauce. Bake until the salmon is opaque in centre, about 10-15 minutes. Bring beetroot sauce to a simmer in a pan, stirring. Remove from the heat and stir in the crème fraîche or sour cream. Place the salmon on plates and spoon the sauce over or around the salmon.

Roasted Beetroot Salad with Goat's Cheese and Pistachios

Serves 4 as a light summer starter, or 2 as a main salad with shredded chicken and extra greens.

3 large beetroots without greens, washed well
1 tablespoon finely minced red onion or shallot
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons walnut, avocado, pistachio or olive oil
75 g goat’s cheese
2 tablespoons salted pistachio nuts, chopped
Salad greens for serving (amount to your taste)

Preheat the oven to 220°C, 425°F, gas mark 7. Separately wrap the beetroots in foil and roast for about 1 ½ hours or until they’re tender. Unwrap the beetroots and allow them to cool. Meanwhile whisk together the onion and lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk in the oil gradually. Remove the beetroot skins and dice the flesh. Toss with a little of the dressing until the beetroot is coated. Serve the diced beetroot on individual plates over the salad greens; crumble or slice the goat cheese on top, drizzle with remaining dressing and sprinkle with pistachios.

Beetroot, Carrot and Potato Cakes

These cakes are really tasty, and work well as a main dish with apple sauce and salad - or as a breakfast with poached eggs and smoked fish. Alternatively, leave out the potato and serve with sausage, mash and lots of gravy. Serves 4-8

2 medium beetroots, greens removed, peeled & grated
2 medium carrots, grated
2 handfuls grated or shredded potato (unpeeled is fine)
½ medium onion, thinly sliced
1 egg
½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
25g plain flour
Optional: chopped spring onion, garlic, chilli or herbs
3 tablespoons olive oil
Soured cream for serving

Preheat oven to 150C/300F/gas2. In a large bowl combine the vegetables; mix in egg, salt and pepper. Add the flour and any extras; stir well to blend. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Using 2-3 tablespoons of mixture per cake drop 4 cakes into the frying pan. Flatten each out with a spatula, and cook until just browned and cooked through, 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a tray in the oven and keep warm, then repeat with remaining mixture until finished. Serve with soured cream.

Creamy Beetroot Dressing

Use to dress up salads, roasted veg, or sandwiches. Or toss with a big liver-loving coleslaw of grated carrot, apple, broccoli, shredded cabbage, and onion. Makes about 700ml, or cut the recipe in half.

Peel and slice or chop 2 medium beetroots. Place in a food processor with 1 small chopped white onion, 120ml honey, 2 medium garlic cloves, 120ml cider vinegar, and 4-6 tablespoons mayonnaise. Puree until the mixture is smooth. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Beetroot Houmous

If you’re feeling lazy, you could simply puree a cooked beetroot in a food processor and then blend a bit further with a tub of Abel & Cole’s delicious traditional or creamy houmous. It’s a great way to polish off a beetroot at the end of your veg-box-week.

1 medium-sized beetroot
400g tin of chickpeas, cooked for 10-12 mintues, until tender
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
3 tbsp tahini
3 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper

First, clean the beetroot and place in a small saucepan – whole, uncut and unpeeled. Cover with water, bring to the boil and continue to boil, lowering the heat only slightly, for 1 hour – or until it’s tender enough to pierce a fork right throught to the centre. Rinse under cold water to cool and peel, simply rubbing the skin off with your fingers – it should come off quite easily – if not, it’s not fully cooked. Once cooked and peeled, roughly chop, then puree until its as smooth as you can get it. Place in a bowl and make the houmous. First warm the chickpeas (just pour the entire contents from the tin into a pan) for 10 minutes over a low heat. Strain the cooking liquid off. Then simply pureeing the chickpeas with the garlic, tahini, oil and lemon until smooth (you may need a few extra tbsp water or lemon juice to loosen it). Once your houmous is ready, add the beetroot to the food processor and blend until smooth. Chill for at least half an hour and eat within 2 days of making it.

Beetroot Ravioli with Broad Beans Pesto

This is the simplest pasta recipe you'll ever find - no machines, just your hands and a rolling pin. Serves 4.

2 medium (fist-sized) beetroots
250g mascarpone
2inch piece Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Freshly ground black pepper
Boil the beetroots for 1 hour, until you can pierce right through to the centre.
Rub skin off with your fingers. Cut into 1inch dice. Blitz in food processor with the mascarpone until smooth. Add the Parmesan. Season

40-50 podded broad beans, skin removed from each bean
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
50g grated Parmesan cheese
½ tsp crushed sea salt
8 black peppercorns, crushed and ground in a pestle and mortar
30g fresh basil leaves
2 sprigs each of mint, tarragon and parsley - leaves only
1 tbsp unsalted butter
Juice and zest from ½ lemon
50-75ml extra virgin olive oil

230g plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
55ml water
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Sift the flour and salt. Make well in the centre. Break eggs in the centre. Add oil and water. Mix using your hands until you have a soft dough - add drops of water if it's too dry. Knead on a floured surface for 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Quarter the dough. Roll on a floured surface until 1/2cm thick. Cut into 3cm diameter rounds using a glass or jar as a cutter. Then, roll each round as thin as you can get it. Pair the circles. Brush one half with water. Add 1tsp of filling. Top and seal, patting sides down and drawing out any air pockets. Re-cut ravioli using the same glass/jar - this will tidy the edges. Dust with flour. Place on a baking sheet, cover with a dry cloth. Continue with remaining dough. Bring a very large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook in batches of 6 for 3-5 minutes - until glossy and cooked through. Use slotted spoon to remove from pan, place in a colander, drizzle with oil, plate and spoon pesto over.

A Toasty Beetroot, Gorgonzola Dolce, Walnut and Date Summer Herb Salad

This salad is lovely with grilled mackerel or slivers of cold or hot roast beef. Serves 2.

1 medium beetroot
1 tsp olive oil
A squeeze or two of lemon juice
10g fresh mint leaves
10g fresh basil leaves
10g fresh flat-parsley leaves
2 slices of walnut and date bread, toasted
100g gorgonzola dolce
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

First, boil the beetroot. Cover with water (leave the beet in its skin), bring to the boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 1 hour or until you can pierce right through it using a fork. Once cooked, drain, cool, rinse under cold water and rub the skin off using your fingers. Cut the beet in half and shave off longish strips, over a bowl using a vegetable peeler. Dress the beetroot with olive oil, lemon juice, a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Roughly chop the herbs. Add half of these to the beet. Slice the toast into 1cm strips, then roughly slice into little cubes. Divide beetroot between plates. Crumble over toast pieces. Lightly toss - try not to 'stain' the bread with the beetroot. The cheese is quite soft and runny but try to cut into little pieces as best as you can - just breaking it up so you can divide it between the plates and arrange over the salad. Again, gently fold through the salad. Top with remaining herbs and eat!

Dark Chocolate Ginger Beetroot Cake

A Shropshire-based beetroot grower once invited me for tea and offered me a slice of chocolate beetroot cake, alongside beetroot sorbet and other beet treats. This is my take on the cake. It's a fabulous way to use up your roots, and the beetroot is not there as a gimmicky ingredient. It lends a lovely moistness, an earthy sweetness and a rich, ruby tinge. Serves 8.

200g beetroot
125g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of sea salt, crushed finely
150g caster sugar
200g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp ground ginger
3 whole eggs
150g dark chocolate, finely grated
Crème fraiche to serve

First, cook your beetroot. Put in a pot, cover with water and boil for 1 hour, or until tender enough to pierce right through with a fork. Peel, brushing the skin off with your fingers while holding the beets under a lightly running tap. Roughly chop and puree in a food processor until smooth.

Preheat the oven to 190C. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Separate the eggs. Whisk the yolks with the butter and the sugar until pale and creamy. Whisk the whites until stiff and meringue-like. Gently fold the yolk mix to the flour. Then, fold the whites in 1/3 at a time. Gently stir in the beet puree, chocolate and ginger.

Grease an 18.5cm (7in) cake tin with butter, dust with enough flour to coat - or line with parchment paper. Add the cake mix. Bake for 50 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. It will be fairly moist, almost fudgy in the middle. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, then turn our and cool on a rack. Serve with crème fraiche.

Beetroot and Onion Chutney

This is another beetroot recipe inspired by my grower friends. Feature it on a wooden board as part of a Ploughman's lunch, with Godminster Vintage Cheddar, some crusty bread, smoked ham, fresh tomatoes and leaves of lettuce. Fills 2-3 300g jars.

450g cooled, boiled beetroot
225g white onions, peeled and thinly sliced 175g cooking apples, peeled and cut into 1 1/2cm dice 60g demerara sugar
1cm piece of ginger, peeled, sliced and finely chopped 110ml cider vinegar
1/2 tsp sea salt

Mix all the ingredients together in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Put into jars (sterilised if you plan to keep the chutney longer than 1 week) while the chutney is still hot.

Beetroot and Brie on Toast

There's nothing more simple, yet more satisfying than cheese on toast. I was starving one day, had little time and had a bit of cooked beetroot in the fridge that needed using up. I sliced it fairly thinly popped it on top of a buttered sliced of sourdough, laid on a few thick slices of Brie and popped it under the toaster until it was all bubbly and golden. It was absolutely delicious. Simple, yet satisfying. Do try it! Serves as many or as few as you like, and pair with a simple, balsamic dressed salad of green battavia lettuce leaves.

1 beetroot
Lubborn's Somerset Brie, as little or as much as you like
Pain de Campagne or Multigrain spelt loaf
Butter or olive oil

Wash the beetroot carefully under the cold tap. Don't scrub, simply rub off any earth with your fingers. Don't damage the skin or cut the ends or it will bleed its colour during cooking. Put the beetroot into a pan, cover with water, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for anything from 20 minutes to 2 hours depending on their size and age. The beetroot are cooked when the skins rub off easily. When cool enough to handle, rub off the skins. Boil the beetroot as soon as you get your box, store peeled, whole or sliced, in the fridge for up to 3 days. Once ready to eat, simply slice your bread, slather with butter or olive oil, pile on a layer of beetroot. Top generously with cheese and grill until golden. You could tart it up a bit - say, by laying a few whole chive straws across the top - and serve it as a starter!

My Granny's Pickled Beets

I've been eating these for as long as I can remember. My granny always has a jar of them on the table when I come over. We have them before dinner, along with fresh vegetables from my granddad's garden (radishes, slices of cucumber in vinegar, peppers and tomatoes). They're also really lovely served alongside roast beef. Makes 2 medium-sized jars.

2 large or 4 small beets, boiled in water (skin on) until tender, about 1 hour
1 smallish cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp whole cloves
225ml white wine vinegar
225ml water
225g caster sugar

Peel the cooked beets and cut into 3cm hunks. Heat the vinegar, water, sugar and spices in a large pan. Bring just to the boiling poin. Add the beets and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then, pack in sterile jars, fill with hot liquid. Seal. If you don't fancy properly pickling them, simply follow the instructions, place the beets in a fridge-friendly container, allow the beets to cool fully and then store in the fridge for up to a week.

Keith's Lovely Beetroot Penne

I recently made this lovely dish from Keith Abel's cookbook: Cooking Outside the Box: Easy, Seasonal, Organic. It's a great way to use up all the lovely beetroot that we keep getting this summer. Serves 4.

About 700g (1lb 6oz) beetroot
A few good glugs of olive oil
400g (14oz) penne
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Juice of ½ lemon
½ mug of single cream To garnish:
Plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Toasted walnuts, finely chopped
Chopped fresh parsley or basil (optional)

Preheat the oven to 190C. Place the whole beetroot in an oiled baking pan, rub with olive oil and cover tightly with foil. Roast the beetroot until fork tender. The cooking time will vary according to the size of the beetroot, but will probably be around 1-1 ½ hours.

When the beetroot is cooked through, remove it from the oven and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, start boiling a pan of water for the pasta and preparing the other ingredients. When the water has boiled, add the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions.

Now peel the beetroot (the skin should slip off easily), remove any remaining stems or hard bits, and cut into bite-sized chunks. Saute the garlic in a pan with a few glugs of olive oil for a couple of minutes over a medium heat. Then add the beetroot and sauté for a further few minutes to ensure it’s hot. Stir in the lemon juice and mix well. Lower the heat and gradually add the cream, cooking for about 2-3 minutes until just hot.

Spoon the creamy beetroot mixture over the drained pasta and top with lots of Parmesan, toasted walnuts and fresh herbs, if using.

If you have leftovers, try tossing them with a block of crumbled feta or goat’s cheese and some olive oil and bake in a greased baking pan at medium heat for about 20 minutes, until heated throughout and slightly crunchy on top. You’ll end up with a rather colourful and sophisticated version of macaroni and cheese!

Mediterranean-kissed Chioggia Beetroot

The Chioggia beet takes its name from a fishing port in the south of Venice's lagoon. It’ s a beautiful beet and quite different from your average ruby variety as it has red and white rings once you cut inside it. It’s nicknamed the ‘candy stripe beet’ for this reason. It’s quite delicate in flavour and has a fairly soft flesh, making it a lovely raw salad ingredient. Here I’ve paired it with some lovely Mediterranean ingredients. Serves 2 as a light main course, or 4 as a side dish. If serving a as side, a great main to pair with it is whole grilled or roasted mackerel.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Peel the beetroot and cut into as-thin-as-you-can-get-it slices. I find that a long bread knife works really well for this or any other long-blade knife as such – treat the beetroot like a violin and the knife like the bow, slowly dragging it across the vegetable to make nice, clean, thin slices. Arrange slices on a large plate or serving dish – or divide between 2-4 dishes.

Slice the sardine filets in half, lengthwise – so you have long, thin slivers. Roughly chop the mint and tarragon leaves (GREEN TIP: reserve the stems for a another use – the tarragon stems can be used to flavour mustard or vinegar or can be finely chopped and used to dress and flavour carrots – cooked or raw. The mint stalks make a lovely tea.). Finely chop the garlic cloves and rub into one side of each of the bread slices. Brush each side of each slice with olive oil. Then, cut (leaving crusts on – or take them off, if you prefer) into 1inch cubes. Place on a baking sheet drizzled with a bit more olive oil. Sprinkle some sea salt over – be a bit generous with it – and bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until the bread cubes have a nice golden crust. You’ll need to give the tray a good shake about halfway through cooking and you may need to flip the croutons over as well. Allow to cool. Then, start assembling the salad.

Start by dressing the beets with a bit of lemon juice and olive oil. Sprinkle over a bit of salt and pepper. Pile on the rocket and mix and layer with the beetroot slices. Add the sardine slivers. Top with the olives, then the sourdough croutons. Crumble on the goat’s cheese. Sprinkle over the herbs. Then finish with a bit more olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

This is great on its own, or you can serve it alongside a whole roast mackerel.

Easy Beetroot Dip

Serves 4 as a snack

Peel and finely grate the beetroot (using the sort of grater you'd use for parmesan or to grate a whole nutmeg). Peel and grate the garlic. Mix the beetroot and garlic into the crème fraiche. Pop into the fridge.

Grab a small frying pan and place over medium heat. Toss the sesame seeds, pinenuts, coriander and cumin seeds in the pan and warm until the spices are fragrant and the seeds and pinenuts are just golden. Remove from heat and pour warm mix into a pestle and mortar or food processor. Pound or grind into a paste. Allow this to cool if it's still warm.

Then, fold into the beetroot. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and pinch of fresh, finely chopped mint leaves.

Serve with celery sticks and warmed pita breads. Also a delicious alternative or accompaniment to houmous with a mezze including falafel or grilled meats.

An Earthy Beetroot, Apple, Pear, Walnuts and Stilton Salad

Serves 4 as a side or light main

2 cooked beetroot – can be boiled or roasted until tender
2 apples
2 tbsp olive or walnut oil
2 tbsp balsamic or sherry vinegar
1 garlic clove, mince or very finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g salad leaves
2 pears
4 tbsp lightly toasted walnuts
100g Stilton or soft, crumbly goat's cheese

Grate the beetroot and the apple using a large, course grater - the type you'd use to grate cheddar. Mix these two in a bowl.

Whisk the oil and vinegar together. Add the garlic, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Dress beetroot and apple with 1/2 the dressing. Use the remaining half to lightly dress the leaves - you may not need all of the dressing – use your judgment.

Arrange the leaves on serving plates. Make a little empty space in the centre and add a mound of the grated apple/beetroot.

Core the pear and cut into 1cm thick slices. Arrange these through the leaves around the side of the beetroot/apple mound. Gently break the walnuts up a bit with your fingers and arrange them over the leaves and pears. Finish the salad with a nice crumbling of Stilton or goat's cheese and a good dusting of black pepper.

Balsamic Beetroot and Herb Salad

Serves 4

2 large or 4 smaller beetroots
100ml balsamic vinegar
A splash of olive oil
A selection of soft green herbs (about 15g) – think chervil, mint and parsley
Freshly ground black pepper

Pop your beetroots into a pot (don't peel or wash them). Cover with water, bring to the boil, lower the heat and cook for 1-1 ½ hours, or until tender right the way through.

While they cook, pour the balsamic vinegar into a pan. Reduce by half - you should end up with about 4 tbsp. Set aside to cool.

When the beetroot it cooked, drain the water. Cool. Then, brush off the skins, over a sink to help minimise mess! Rinse the beets. Then, slice into 1cm-thick rounds.

Toss with reduced balsamic. Add a splash of olive and a grinding of pepper. You can store them like this for 3 or 4 days.

When you're ready to serve, finely chop the herbs and scatter them over. Serve.

Pink Pancakes

Beetroot for breakfast may feel like sunbathing in the rain but on a really warm day!

Makes about 6 medium-sized pancakes (a perfect breakfast for 2)

1 egg
1 mug of plain white or wholewheat flour
2 heaped tsp of baking powder
¾ mug of apple juice
½ mug of finely grated raw (or cooked) beetroot
½ tsp of mix spice
Olive oil
Butter and honey, to serve

Whisk the egg until frothy. Add flour, baking powder and salt.

Pour in the apple juice. Give it all a good whisk.

Fold in the beetroot and spice.

Warm a frying pan over high heat. Brush on a bit of olive oil. Drop in dessert spoonfuls of the pancake batter into the centre of the pan.

Grab a spatula. As soon as the pancake starts to bubble up in the centre, flip it over and cook for 2 minutes or so, until cooked through. Don't be tempted to press the pancake down in the pan as it cooks as this will press out all the lovely air bubbles that make it nice and fluffy.

When all your pancakes are cooked, add a dot of butter on the top of each, and then serve with a drizzle of honey and a nice cuppa.

Gorgeous Green & Pink Salad

Prep time: 10 mins

Serves 2-4

A glug olive oil
1 lemon
A bag of watercress
1 beetroot, peeled and coarsely grated
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh red chilli, finely chopped (optional/to taste)

Accessories:

Soft, crumbly goat's cheese
Toasted pinenuts, walnuts or almonds
Orange segments

Drizzle in a decent glug of olive oil into a large bowl. Add an equal amount of balsamic vinegar (about 4 tbsp). Grate over a good bit of lemon zest – it adds heaps of flavour. Pile the watercress on top and gently fold through the dressing. Squeeze over a bit of lemon juice.

Add a good pinch of salt and pepper to the grated beetroot. Add a good pinch of fresh chilli, if you like, and a drop of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sift it through. Scatter it over the dressed watercress. Fold it all together.

This is delicious on its own, paired with a steak or dot the salad with goat's cheese, toasted nuts and/or orange segments. It's absolutely delicious.

Perfect Pink Soup

Prep time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 30-45 mins

Serves 6-8 – freezes well

Soften onion in butter and oil, add cumin seeds. Add beetroot chunks and then add stock. Simmer for 30 mins, or till beetroot is tender. Puree the soup, return to the pan and season. Serve with a swirl of crème fraîche or yogurt and a few toasted cumin seeds on top.