Just discovered a really yummy new thing to do with beetroot. Previously, every time they arrived in our veg box, I was rather uninspired and did Russian beef borsht. Yummy though borsht is, when you have done it about a hundred times, it gets a bit boring. Also, I made a New Year's resolution to try and break out of my culinary rut and cook beyond my repertoire at least once a week. Took a quick look in my Abel and Cole cookbook and discovered 'Roasted beetroot penne'. As pink is Max's favourite colour, I figured this would be a winner of a family meal and, indeed it was. Max loved his pink pasta and pink vegetables and so did we. Delicious. Bright and cheery and yet rather sophisticated at the same time.
You need:
About 700g fresh beetroot
A few glugs of olive oil
400g penne or some other chunky pasta
3 crushed garlic cloves
Juice of half a lemon
Half a mug of single cream
To garnish:
Lots of freshly grated parmesan
Finely chopped toasted walnuts
Chopped fresh parsely or basil (parsley is better)
Oil the beetroot, oil a roasting pan and roast the beetroot wrapped in tin foil for about an hour or so (an hour or a half if they are bigger). Let them cool, then chop them into bite sized pieces (or if it's for kids, whatever size they can deal with). Cook your pasta. Fry the beetroot and garlic in oil for about 5-10 minutes (until it's warmed through - medium heat). Turn the heat down and add the cream a bit at a time. The colour is fabulous. You can't fail to be cheered by it. Add the lemon juice. Add the pasta and warm it all through. Serve topped with your toasted walnuts, grated parmesan and chopped parsley. Apart from the roasting of the beetroot, it's quick and definitely easy.
would you mind giving away the recipe for the russion beef borsht??? Am very interested in it as the only thing I do with my beetroots from the veg box is "Hering in rote Beete". I love it, but new stuff is nice...
ReplyDeletewill try the Penne tomorrow ;o)))
BTW, this is the cookbook the recipe is from: Cooking Outside the Box: Easy, Seasonal, Organic: The Abel and Cole Cookbook: The Abel and Cole Seasonal, Organic Cookbook.
ReplyDeleteTanja - sorry it took so long to get back to you with the recipe:
ReplyDelete250g raw beetroot
500g braising beef (Rindergoulasch)
1l beef stock
Olive oil
Green pepper (I also use red)
2 carrots
2 cloves garlic
1 large ontion
2 potatoes
1 tin chopped tomatoes
200g shredded red cabbage
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons fresh dill
2 tablespoons fresh parsely
salt and pepper
Wrap washed and trimmed beetroot in foil and bake for 30-40 mins in oven (200). Cool and dice. Put beef and stock in pan, bring to boil, cover and simmer for an hour or more. Fry carrots, pepper, garlic and onion for 2 mins until soft (all diced / chopped). Put this mixture and cabbage, potatoes and tomatoes to soup pot with beef and stock. Simmer for another 20 minutes. Add beetroot, lemon, sugar, herbs and seasoning and cook for another 5 mins or so. Timing and quantities don't have to be exact. Serve with sour cream. Delicious. Kids like it too.