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Beetroot
Beta vulgaris
Appears in
By Adrian Daniel and Michael Daniel
Published 2004
Until lately rather overlooked, the beetroot is one of those vegetables we like to bring back to a wider audience. In Britain, unfortunately, most people’s experience of beetroot has been restricted to the pickled root version. Only in the last few years has it been possible to buy them raw and untreated from anything but the best markets and greengrocers, and pick-your-owns.
There is an apocryphal story about how the beetroot got its name, which we think will appeal to vegetarians. The profuse bleeding of red liquid that follows beetroot being cut led it to being called la bête or “the beast”. As long as it is carefully controlled, though, that lovely colour can give drama to all sorts of dishes.