Sunday 26 July 2009

Dealing with all that beetroot

If there is one thing we are learning quickly it is how to deal with sudden gluts of food. With harvests starting to come in, we have a glut of gluts. We are currently dealing with a beetroot glut. 5kg have been picked from the allotment and more is on its way.

David did a search for recipes and found one from the BBC for beetroot and orange relish.

The recipe came via the BBC website from the Burrastow House Hotel.
 
450g/1lb fresh beetroot
450g/1lb onions chopped
2 oranges - grated rind and juice
1 tsp salt
6 star anise
1 tsp fennel seeds
350g/3/4lb sugar
570ml/1 pint pickling vinegar
 
Method:
1. To cook the beetroot, put into a large pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer until tender. Drain, peel and roughly chop into small pieces.
2. Put all the ingredients into a large pan and bring slowly to the boil. Simmer until a good consistency is reached. Test for seasoning. Pour into sterilised jars.

Meanwhile, I had a go at pickling beetroot. I can across the following in an old cookery book at home.

Pickled beetroot recipe

1kg beetroot
2 medium size onions
900ml spiced vinegar

Boil the beetroot til it is soft and whilst it is still hot peel it (the skin, as I discovered, comes away very easily).

Chop the onions and slice the beetroot thinly.

In a pickling jar add the beetroot and onion in layers.

Heat the vinegar to boiling point then pour into the pickling jar, making sure all the beetroot is covered. Then seat the jar.

Pickled beetroot can be eaten after 3 or 4 weeks.

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