Midweek Meals: Five ways to use beetroot — from soup to ice-cream

Beetroot is in season right now. Here are five ways to showcase this humble, hidden hero ingredient in your kitchen

The beetroot is a humble hero ingredient - try it in everything from starters to dessert!

Beetroot Soup with Chive Cream

recipe by:Darina Allen

A deliciously silky soup with a rich, vibrant colour – it also freezes brilliantly.

Servings

10

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Starter

Ingredients

• 900g beetroot

• 25g butter

• 225g onions

• salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1.2 litres homemade chicken or vegetable stock approx.

• 125ml creamy milk

• For the chive cream

• 125ml sour cream or crème fraiche

• finely chopped chives

Method

1. Wash the beetroot carefully under a cold tap. Don't scrub, simply rub off the clay with your fingers. You won't want to damage the skin or cut off the top or tails because it will 'bleed' in the cooking. Put the beetroot into cold water, and simmer covered for anything from 20 minutes to 2 hours depending on the size and age.

2. Meanwhile chop the onions, sweat carefully and gently in the butter until they are cooked. The beetroot is cooked when the skins will rub off easily.

3. Peel all the beetroot and remove the stalks. Chop the beetroot and add to the onions. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Put into a liquidiser with the hot chicken stock. Liquidise until quite smooth. *Reheat, add some creamy milk, taste and adjust the seasoning, it may be necessary to add a little more stock or creamy milk.

4. Serve garnished with little swirls of sour cream and a sprinkling of finely chopped chives.

5. Watchpoint: Careful not to damage the beetroot during preparation or they will bleed

Flatbread with beetroot hummus

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Beetroot adds a delicious earthiness to hummus - a welcome pop of colour on any table.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Side

Ingredients

• For the hummus:

• 400g canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 250g roasted beetroot, chopped

• 1 clove of garlic, crushed

• 1 tbsp tahini

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• the zest of a lemon and ½ tbsp of juice

• For the breads:

• 300g plain flour

• 2 generous pinches of sea salt

• 150mls warm water

• 3 tbs olive oil

• ½ tsp nigella seeds

• To serve:

• a drizzle of olive oil

• a small handful of canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• edible flowers

Method

1. Vigorously rub the chickpeas in a clean tea towel to remove as many of the skins as possible. You can omit this step if you wish but it does result in a smoother hummus.

2. Place the chickpeas into a liquidiser with the roasted beetroot, garlic, tahini, olive oil and lemon juice. If it is very dry add a little more oil. Taste and season.

3. Mix the flour and the salt in a large bowl and drizzle in the water mixing slowly until combined. Add in the oil in the same way until a dough is beginning to form. Sprinkle in the nigella seeds and knead for about five minutes until it is smooth.

4. Divide the dough into nine balls and leave to stand for about 10 minutes. Roll each ball on a lightly floured surface, moving it around as you do so it does not stick to your work surface. They should be quite thin.

5. Heat a heavy-based frying pan and rub it with a little olive oil. Fry each bread one at a time and sprinkle with a little more sea salt as you remove them from the pan. Serve warm with the hummus.

Denis Cotter's beetroot risotto, orange, hazelnut crumb, Knockalara sheep’s cheese

Like all of our risotto, the base of this one is vegan and it can be finished with butter, as here, or with vegan butter or olive oil. The Knockalara cheese brings a lovely creamy tang but can be omitted or replaced with a soft vegan cheese.

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 40 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 60 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Vegetarian

Ingredients

• 50g skinned hazelnuts

• 50g breadcrumbs

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped

• 1 tablespoon olive oil 100mls olive oil

• 20mls orange juice

• 30mls lemon juice

• zest of 1 orange

• 500g beetroot, roasted and peeled

• 1.5 litres vegetable stock

• 2 shallots, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 300g risotto rice, such as Carnaroli

• 125mls red wine

• 100mls olive oil

• 50g butter

• 100g Knockalara fresh sheep’s cheese, coarsely crumbled

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 100C.

2. Place the hazelnuts on a tray and toast in the oven for 15-20 mins, until lightly browned. Chop the nuts coarsely by crushing with the flat of a wide knife or a rolling pin.

3. Place a frying pan on medium heat, add the oil and then the breadcrumbs. Toast until golden brown, stirring frequently. When the crumbs are crisp, add the nuts and thyme and toss everything together in the pan for a few seconds. Remove from the heat and season with salt. Blend the olive oil and citrus together with a hand blender to get a thick pouring consistency. Season with salt.

4. Chop the roasted beetroot and blitz it in a food processor to get a very finely chopped finish. Keep the stock warm in a pot over low heat. Heat a little olive oil in a pan and cook the shallot and garlic over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the rice and toast it, stirring often for 7-8 minutes. Add the red wine and simmer for a few minutes until it has been absorbed. Now add a ladle or two of stock and simmer, stirring, until it has been absorbed. Repeat with more stock a number of times, stirring often, until the rice is just tender, approx. 20 minutes. Check rice grains often in the latter stages.

5. Stir in the finely chopped beetroot and the olive oil and butter. Season well with salt and black pepper, remove from the heat and serve immediately. Serve the risotto in shallow bowls with some orange sauce and some Knockalara sheep’s cheese and hazelnut crumb sprinkled over.

Puff Pastry with Roasted Cauliflower, Cashel Blue Cheese and Beetroot

You can use roast broccoli or any blue cheese in this recipe. Brie would also work really well with some cranberry sauce.

Servings

8

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Starter

Ingredients

• 1 sheet puff pastry

• 1 egg beaten

• ¼ head roasted cauliflower

• 50g Cashel blue cheese

• 50 g creme fraiche

• ½ cooked beetroot

• Small bunch mint to garnish

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190°C.

2. Cut the puff pastry into rectangles and brush with beaten egg. Place on a lined baking sheet and cook for 15-20 minutes until golden in colour and fully risen.

3. Meanwhile, take some tips off the cauliflower and place the rest in a blender with the Cashel blue cheese and creme fraiche.

4. Place contents in a piping bag if you have one.

5. Finely dice the cooked beetroot.

6. Once the pastry has cooled, pipe out some of the cauliflower mixture along the top. Place the charred pieces of cauliflower along the top and dot some diced beetroot on top. Sprinkle with mint and serve immediately.

Beetroot and raspberry ice cream

recipe by:Darina Allen

Indulge in this richly flavoured, vibrant ice cream combining slightly savoury, earthy beetroot and tart, fresh raspberries

Servings

8

Preparation Time

 20 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Dessert

Ingredients

• 225g fresh raspberries

• 225g cooked ruby beetroot

• 175g sugar

• 150ml water

• 1 tsp gelatine

• 600ml whipped cream 

• fresh raspberries, to garnish

• fresh mint leaves, to garnish 

Method

1. Puree and sieve the raspberries.

2. Dissolve the sugar in the water and boil for 2 minutes. Sponge the gelatine in 1 tablespoon of water and dissolve in a saucepan of simmering water.

3. Puree the cooked beetroot with the syrup, allow to cool.

4. Then add the raspberry purée, add a little to the gelatine and then mix.

5. Fold in whipped cream and freeze in a covered container. Serve the ice-cream on chilled plates.