I think I’m going to start a campaign for a revival of the 19th Century name for the beetroot – blood turnip. It’s an infinitely more evocative name for a humble root vegetable that has hidden depths. Today, many varieties of Beta vulgaris are grown around the world, (when was the last time YOU ate a Burpee’s Golden or a Bull’s Blood beet?) and they are not just gloriously coloured and named: beets are fantastically good for you. The Romans believed that beetroot juice had aphrodisiac properties and since the Middle Ages beets have been used to treat a variety of ailments. Modern science has shown that the nutrient betaine may play a role in the prevention of heart disease and as beets are rich in vitamins A and C, as well as folate and dietary fibre, eating them is unlikely to do you any harm. For those who complain that they taste of dirt, remember that packed into each and every cell alongside the geosmins (the chemicals that give beets their ‘earthy’ taste) are oodles of antioxidants, which help to slow the aging process.
Steam it, bake it, pickle it or eat it raw but whatever way you choose, try and incorporate a little blood turnip into your life: I’m sure it’ll be all the better for it. Here’s a quick and simple recipe for beetroot dip to help you get started:
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4 medium beets
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4 tbsp cottage cheese
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Juice of 1 lemon
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2 tbsp tahini
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2 cloves garlic
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1 tsp cumin
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Salt and pepper
Leaving a few centimetres of the leaves attached (to minimise pigment ‘leaking’), boil the beets for about 45 minutes, until the skin peels off easily. In a food processor, blend the beets with all the other ingredients. Store in the fridge.
Enjoy!
Aphrodisiac? Who’d of thought… Just as well Webster has her new food processor to delve into wee gems like this with. Cheers!