Beet Revival

When I was wee, beetroot was a weird thing that my grandparents used to put on their plates at lunchtime, alongside slices of ham and heaps of potato salad. I regarded it with more than suspicion. Peering into the pot of deeply dark pinky purple fluid, vinegarry fumes floating up to my nostrils, knowing that there were lumps of... something... floating in there, didn't seem right. And when they were rolled out onto the plate and their deep colour faded to hot pants pink as it melded into the mayonnaise of the potato salad and stained all it came into contact with... Well, I was not impressed. Was it supposed to be a vegetable? This didn't seem like food. But never being allowed to dismiss a food without sampling it, I was coaxed into trying it. he bright colour and its strange earthy taste simply didn't match up. The only things in my life that were edible and that electric shade of bright pink came in plastic wrappers and were sweeter than sweet.

But how times change. Several varieties of local beetroot are available to me these days... They don't come in that pot that my gran and grandpa had. They are pulled from the earth, and come to me in brown paper bags, all earthy and round. Washing the mud off, they become gradually more pink, and them more so as you peel off the outer skin... until your hands are stained a ridiculous red colour and leave you feeling like a joyful child finger painting at liberty.

I made my most recent batch of beets into a yummy ukranian stew, with lots of other fresh and yummy winter veg. The colour of the stew is enough hearten a dull late winter's evening. Here's the recipe. By the way, the cup thing - now i Know cups are daunting to British cooks - I just literally use a cup measure because I can't be bothered to mess about converting everything to grams. And, actually, it is easier.

UKRANIAN BEET AND BEAN STEW
From 'Moosewood Restaurant Low Fat Favourites' - I added the chilli for kick.

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 cups sliced onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
3 cups water
3 cups sliced cabbage
1 cup sliced carrots
3 cups chopped potatoes
4 cups peeled cubed raw beetroot (i used 2 big fat beetroots)
2 cans chopped tomatoes
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
2 tablespoons vinegar - preferably cider vinegar or white wine
1/2 tsp salt
1 can of kidney beans, drained
2 tsp dried crushed chillis or more if you like it hot
Black pepper to taste

Saute onions and celery on a medium heat, stirring continuously for 4-5 mins, until browned. Add 1 cup of water, cover, lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cabbage and carrots, stir well and simmer, covered for 5 mins. Add the remaining 2 cups of water, the potatoes, beets, tomatoes, caraway seeds, dried chillis vinegar, and salt, bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 35 mins, until the beets are tender. Add the beans. Add pepper to taste. Serve with chunky homemade bread and a dollop of yoghurt. Hungry Boy likes it with pasta.