Beetroot - you either love it or you don’t! With this recipe we hope to be able to convert some of the nay-sayers. Particularly as here we prepare it in three different ways making sure to showcase this beautiful root in all its glory. This year we’re growing 4 different varieties which means we’ve been putting some seriously colourful bunches into the veg boxes. Our varieties are Avalanche (pure white), Boldor (golden), Chioggia (candy striped) and Jannis (deep red). They are truly a delight in the kitchen, adding texture, colour and a punch of sweet earthy flavour. In this recipe we prepare the beetroot in three different ways to highlight its many virtues! The pickled beetroot brings out the vegetables’s sweetness, the raw provides freshness and crunch and the roasted beetroot brings a deep savory earthiness to the dish. Paired with the delicious tahini dressing it really is a dish full of flavour.
Each element of the dish works well with other combinations too so let your culinary imagination run wild and try some of these methods for using beetroot in your other recipes. We’d love to see what you might come up with!
Ingredients
1 bunch mixed beetroot (about 5 individual beets)
Olive oil
Freekeh
100g freekeh
500ml vegetable stock
1 small onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic (chopped finely)
Olive oil
Pickled Beets
100ml white wine vinegar
100g white sugar
100ml water
1tsp corinader seeds
1tsp fennel seeds
Tahini dressing
2 tbsp tahini
60ml water
30ml olive oil
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt to taste
Crispy kale
Few leaves kale
olive oil
salt
Method
Take 2 of the beetroot from the bunch and peel and quarter. Place on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and put in an oven preheated to 180C for approximately 30-40 minutes, roasting until tender.
In a small saucepan combine the white wine vinegar, sugar, 100ml water, coriander and fennel seeds and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, prepare 2 more beetroot by peeling and chopping into bite sized pieces. Once the pickling liquid is boiling and the sugar has dissolved, place the beetroot pieces in a jar or heat proof bowl and pour over the liquid. Allow to cool completely.
For the freekeh, begin by heating olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion and finely chopped garlic. Sweat for 2-3 minutes. Next add the freekeh and continute cooking for another 5 minutes, stirring often. Add your vegetable stock, bring to a boil and then allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Drain off the remaining liquid and set aside the freekeh to cool slightly.
Remove thick stems from kale and tear leaves into bite sized pieces, drizzle with a small amount of olive oil, salt to taste and rub in well. Place on a baking tray in an oven approx 150C for 15-20 minutes until leaves have become crisp.
For the tahini dressing, combine tahini, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, paprika and water in a bowl and whisk together - add salt to taste. Adjust the consistency with more water if you need.
With your last beetroot, peel and use a mandolin or knife to slice into paper thin discs.
Serve by plating a few spoons of freekeh, followed by roasted beet wedges, a scattering of pickled beetroot and a good drizzle of the tahini dressing. Top with the raw beetroot slices and crispy kale.