Cooked beetroot salad is quintessential South African. I think everyone who grew up here had sliced or grated beetroot salad at least once a week! My mom cooked beetroot in the pressure cooker and one of my early memories of helping in the kitchen was removing the squishy peels and having pink hands to show off for a few days!
Back in the day in South Africa beetroot was always served as a salad with a vinaigrette and either chopped or sliced onion.
Thankfully the uses of this vibrant vegetable has evolved and this super-food in used in anything from healthy soups to humus right through to decadent cakes. In case you missed it, here is the recipe for a healthy beetroot and chocolate cake.
Healthy Beetroot & Chocolate Cake
Downside, beetroot takes ages to cook, unless you use the pressure cooker!
Beetroot either takes about an hour to roast or boil until soft but only 10-12 minutes in the pressure cooker. To prepare you merely trim the stems, scrub the beets well to remove any grit, Place them in the pressure cooker with about 2cm water in the base, cook on high pressure for 10-12 minutes (12 mins if they are bigger than golf balls!). Allow to cool in the water until they are comfortable to handle. Now the peel will just slip off. You can use gloves!
Thankfully we can also buy ready cooked and peeled beets either vacuum packed or in a tub in the supermarket.
This versatile and highly nutritious vegetable is fun to experiment with.
My recent dish is delicious. You can serve it warm or at room temperature. The citrus and hint of jalapeño complement the sweetness of the beetroot.
