Beetroot & Ginger Relish, and more!
It's beetroot and ginger season, so now is the perfect time to make this bitey winter relish - you'll see why it's a Cornersmith staple! Serve with falafel, grilled lamb, a cheese and salad sandwich or mix it with yoghurt for a vibrant dip.
We love it for its flavour and colour but also because it makes the most of beet stems as well! We use half a bunch of beet stems finely sliced in the relish and the other half to make a beet stem salsa. We also love making crispy chips from the leaves. Read on for recipes.
Make 4 x 300ml jars.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup of oil
- 1kg beetroot with stems
- 500g onions, thinly sliced
- 500g cabbage, thinly sliced
- 100g ginger, finely grated
- 3 teaspoons coriander seeds, ground
- 2 cups red wine vinegar
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground pepper
Method:
Remove the leaves (and save for a salad or crispy beet leaf chips), wash the stems well and thinly slice. Peel and grate the beetroots. Sauté the stems and onions in oil until soft and translucent. Add coriander and ginger and sauté until fragrant.
Add the grated beetroots and cabbage and stir well. Add the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper into the pot. Cook on low heat until the relish has thickened slightly but there is still liquid in the bottom of the pan. This will take up to 45 minutes.
While the relish is cooking, you need to sterilise your jars. Follow these instructions.
Carefully take jars out of the oven using sterilised tongs or a jar clamp and place on the bench. Let cool for a minute or two. Spoon the relish into jars, packing tightly to release the liquid. The relish needs to be covered in its own juices.
Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean paper towel, seal immediately and leave to cool. Store in the fridge for 6 months or heat process for 10 minutes for a shelf life of up to 2 years.
BEET STEM SALSA
Don't throw your beet stems away, instead, make salsa! Enjoy this on toast with eggs or goats cheese, through a beetroot salad or tabbouleh or serve with grilled lamb.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and sauté 1 finely chopped red onion, finely diced beetroot stems from half a bunch, a handful of dill fronds and a pinch of chilli. Add in something salty, such as a tablespoon of capers or finely diced dill pickles (gherkins), chopped olives or preserved lemon, then add a little extra salt, a splash of vinegar and more fresh dill or parsley. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until soft and sweet. Taste and season, then serve with grilled meats, on toast with eggs or on top of roasted beetroot, with lots of olive oil for a warming winter salad.
BEET LEAF CHIPS
Never throw beet leaves in the bin, or even in the compost. Save the lovely young leaves for salads and slaws and turn the bigger leaves into crispy beet leaf chips. A bit like kale chips only more earthy.They’re a tasty salty snack and while they’re not a packet of chips, they never last long in our houses.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Wash and dry leaves well, tear into bite size pieces and put into a bowl. For 4 cups of leaves add 1 tablespoon sunflower, olive or good quality vegetable oil, ½ a teaspoon of salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Mix well with your hands and then spread out the leaves on a baking tray. If you’re using a fan forced oven, lay a wire cooling rack on top of the leaves to stop them flying around in the oven.
Bake for 10- 15 minutes or until crispy and dry. Remove from the oven, allow to cool and, if you haven’t eaten them all at once, store in an airtight container. They’ll only last a few days before the crunch disappears.
