02/10/2020
A personal favourite of mine!! Beetroot
This weeks hero is Beetroot.
Belonging to the same family as chard and spinach, both the leaves and root can be eaten; the leaves have a bitter taste whereas the round root is sweet. Typically a rich purple colour, beetroot can also be white or golden.
As part of the Chefs Manifesto, we are promoting biodiversity:
We are using 3 varieties of home grown organic beetroot this week (thanks to Richard) Red, golden and Chioggia (known as well as bullseye or candy beetroot for their distinctive white & pink inner circles) golden beetroot & cumin falafel with spiced yoghurt dip. The golden beetroots are grated raw and mixed with chilli & cumin seeds and bound with gram flour to shape the falafels.
chioggia beetroot kraut risotto with cashel blue cheese & walnut. The Chioggia beetroot kraut takes about 3 months to ferment. This brings a deep earthy flavor, slightly sharp to the risotto.
golden beetroot chutney with Chioggia beetroot crisps. The golden beetroots are boiled and pureed with turmeric, cumin, red chilli, onions, HQ cider vinegar and a touch of organic golden sugar.
roast beetroot & fenugreek soup. The red beetroot are roasted then peeled to make this soup. The roasting process intensify the sweet taste of the beetroot. Fenugreek is a plant from India used in traditional medicine (lower cholesterol, lower blood sugar, lower inflammation). The seeds are used in cooking as a spice: slightly bitter (witch is perfect to compliment the sweetness of the beetroot) with an undertone of curry.
Heritage beetroot & Ardsallagh goat's cheese salad, blackcurrant vinaigrette. We are using the three varieties of Beetroot for this salad. The vinaigrette is made with our own blackcurrant vinegar and wicklow organic rapeseed oil.