Beetroot Bonanza

I have noticed that most people I know either love or hate beetroot. I love them, maybe because both my mum and Dad loved them and we ate them a lot with meat and potato pies, hot pots in the winter and salads in the summer. My favourite way of eating them is in a prawn and mayonnaise sandwich. Not the pickled ones but slices of the cooked beetroot. I must say this was a craving of mine when I was expecting Joshua, it's a wonder he didn't turn out bright pink!
Here are my simple recipes for cooking and preserving your beetroot.

Cooking Beetroot

1.Wash without rupturing the skin to minimise bleeding and keep the flavour in the vegetable.
2.Place in a pan and cover with hot water, boiling breaks the skin, bring to the boil and cook at a fast simmer for about 45 minutes or until the beetroot is tender. cooking more than 2kg of beetroot at any one time will take longer. Test with a skewer, if it enters the beetroot without any resistance it is cooked. Test the smaller ones first and lift them out if they are done before the larger beetroot.
3.Allow to cool. Then wearing rubber gloves, rub off the skin. The gloves have two uses, firstly stop any staining of the fingers and secondly help with rubbing off the skin.

Pickled Beets

When making any pickles it is difficult to say exactly how much spiced vinegar you will need. For 2kg of beetroot have at least 1 litre of vinegar ready.
You can buy ready spiced pickling vinegar, but it is very easy to make your own, just make some when you have time for later pickling.

A mild flavoured vinegar is best for beets:
1 litre malt vinegar
1/2 teaspoon each of whole cloves, allspice berries, white peppercorns.
A small cinnamon stick
A small piece of mace
1 level teaspoon salt
If you like a slightly sweet pickle add 1 level tablespoon brown sugar.

Have a sterile jar ready to hold the vinegar and a fine sieve to strain the spices.
1.Place all the ingredients in a pan and heat to a simmer stirring gently. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
2.Leave covered for 4 hours then transfer to a sterile screw topped jar. Strain using a fine sieve.

To make your pickled beets:
Have plenty of sterile jars ready to hold your preserves.
1.Heat the vinegar in a pan until hot but not boiling.
2.Meanwhile, slice or cube your beetroots when cool and pack into the jars.
3.Pour over the hot vinegar and screw on the lids immediately.
Label the jars when cool.
Leave to mature for 2-3 days. Once open store in the fridge.

Beetroot Relish

This is delicious with hash, cheese and onion pie, but my favourite way of serving this is in a brie and salad sandwich, a taste sensation!

About 500g cooked beetroot, peeled and chopped finely
250g caster sugar
250ml cider vinegar
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon of dried chilli flakes or a small chopped chilli, this is optional

Have a large screw topped jar ready, it makes between 600g and 700g of relish
1.Put the sugar, vinegar, salt and chilli if using, in a pan and heat gently, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved.
2.Bring to the boil then add the beetroot. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and cook for about 25-30 minutes or until the mixture has thickened but is still moist and shiny.
3.Transfer to the prepared jar. Allow to cool.
This can be eaten as soon as it is cold.