Monday, July 11, 2011

Beetroot less gruesome


When I was a wee lad I often stayed at my Pop and Nan's house. Both were born in Australian with very colonial backgrounds. For example my Nan grew up in a white washed canvas tent, and for Christmas used a gum tree instead of pine. Still to this day they bias my definition of what it means to be Australian, and one of those things being beetroot. I recall it being present at every meal. Its deep bright blood colour grossed me out just looking at it. I probably never tried it, but I didn't need to, I already knew I hated it.

Now as adult I LOVE IT! Including its glorious colour that makes you look like a mass murder when you clean the knife as the blood spirals down the sink hole just like in the movies. I then enjoy chasing the children around the house with beetroot stained hands. As a gardener I have come to love them even more as they are one of my most successful vegetables. I would highly recommend them to any newbie gardener. They are easy to grow and mature quickly.

If you are however reluctant to cooking or eating beetroot due to the blood like juice... May be you dislike it staining your chopping board or children's clothes. It is amazing, the messier the food the greater chance of it landing in a child's lap. Here is a variety that may appeal. It is Chioggia commonly know as Candy Stripe Beet. It tastes like beetroot but does not bleed. When cooked it turns mostly white. I recently used this variety to bake a beetroot cake. It turned out golden rather than the usual pink colour.

Do you love or hate beetroot?

Tried any other interesting varieties?

12 comments:

  1. Love, love, love! Recently I grew some white beetroot...had rings like beetroot, tasted like beetroot...but white. Somehow it just didn't cut it...like a good red beet!

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  2. Love it! Bunnies Love it, Dog loves it!! A winner all round!

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  3. Interestingly, I love almost all beetroot, but not the candy stripe variety!

    We grew a whole stack last year and Pete came up with a really good beetroot dip recipe - made by roasting whole beets, and then pureeing the peeled vegetable with a little garlic, olive oil, salt and a pinch each of ground coriander, cumin and sweet smoked paprika. It was very addictive! :)

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  4. Hey Jason I tried growing the same variety last year sowing them direct into the garden and it never germinated, did you start them off in pots or sow them direct? I love beetroot, and I agree the messier, the more likely the kids are to drop it!

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  5. I just love growing the heirloom mix with red, yellow, white and candy stripe. But I particularly love the yellow. Its a lot sweeter than the others... Mmm Beetroots!
    I like it as a tomato substitute in winter for sandwiches. Just steamed and sliced up for a sandwich. Pan fried with balsamic vinegar and garlic is great because it candies with the sugar in the beetroot. And a good old salad with steamed beetroot, dressed with red onion, cumin, red wine vinegar, oil and parsley. DELISH!

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  6. Adore Beetroot. Very cleansing food.

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  7. Hazel I know what you mean, I didn't get the same satisfaction with these either. I like the gore.

    Yollie "all round" was that a pun?

    Celia must admit I haven't tried this variety on its own yet. And putting it in a dip would really put it to the test.

    Kellee these where planted in pots first. What time of year did you plant them?

    Phoebe stop, please stop. My mouth is watering. Pan fried I am going to give that go.

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  8. Rod "cleansing" do you mean you find it to have a cleansing taste, or does it actually have some cleansing properties?

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  9. I have just planted out my beetroot seedlings. Anyone have a good recipe for preserving/pickling them?

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  10. Hey Jason I think they were planted last spring october or november, I will have a go at starting them off in pots this year and see what happens.

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  11. Selina planting beetroot now, you must be in the tropics. Interesting how you guys up there have a completely opposite beetroot season to us down here. Re preserving checkout figjamandlimecordial or witcheskitchen

    Kellee perfect time to plant them, for me anyway (SA, temperate). I have taken to using pots for everything. May you have bumper crop this beet season.

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  12. Awesome vege the beetroot. Fresh and roasted is best, not like thye old Aussie canned slices. Beetroot is a great sugar source also. In a lot of European countries, especially France, their sugar does not come from cane (sugarcane), but from beetroot. Believe it or not!

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