Whenever Autumn comes around I genuinely look forward to bigging up unsung vegetables such as beetroot. It’s a delicious vegetable that’s often misunderstood and is very divisive.
A while back, when famous beetroot-packer (and sometimes footballer) Rickie Lambert scored on his England debut, Talksport’s Hawkbee and Jacobs discussed on the radio how much they hate beetroot. We shared them this recipe, one that I’ve used for years, and they talked about it on their show. I’m not sure if they’ve tried cooking it yet!
What you need
- 6 medium beetroot, topped, tailed and peeled
- 25g butter
- Half glass of red wine
- Half onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- Dessert spoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Demerara sugar
- 1 sprig thyme
- 4 black peppercorns
- Sour cream
What it looks like
What you do
Top, tail and peel the beetroot, slice the garlic finely, chop the onions and crush the black peppercorns.
Place the peeled beetroot in a large pocket of aluminium foil along with all the other ingredients. Seal tightly and place in an ovenproof dish with a generous amount of water to prevent burning the foil.
Bake at 160-170 degree celsius, or gas mark 6, for about 1.5 hours. Then open the foil with caution as the steam could burn. Test with a sharp knife to see if the beetroot is cooked and soft, otherwise return to the oven until cooked. At the last moment, spoon over a good spoonful of sour cream or creme fraiche with a little of the roasting liquid.
Chef’s tip
To prevent red colouring on your hands, a pair of rubber gloves or thin latex gloves are great for peeling beetroot.
