| Are you looking for a truly versatile vegetable to | | | | Cut it up into a salad. Some herbs that really get |
| grow and serve? Try beetroot! It has the most | | | | along with it include dill, caraway, rocket and chicory. |
| amazing colour | | | | Pickle it and use it to add zing to your salad |
| and texture. Varieties range in colour from gold to | | | | sandwiches. I LOVE this. |
| deep red/purple and are delicious raw, boiled, | | | | One small sidetrack...you may want to use disposable |
| baked, pickled and juiced. Even the leaves are edible! | | | | gloves when handling before a dinner party...it can |
| The root is packed with Vitamin C and the | | | | stain your fingers for a day or two...Want a different |
| leaves are a great source of Vitamin A and | | | | sort of dip for a starter? Try this one...the colour is |
| potassium.Beetroot is native to the Mediterranean so | | | | WILD!Spicy Beetroot Dip4 medium beetroot |
| needs a fairly warm climate to do well. Unlike most of | | | | 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil |
| | | | 2 pita bread |
| the plants we've discussed in the past, the seeds | | | | 250ml natural yoghurt |
| should be planted directly into the garden (or | | | | 2 cloves garlic crushed |
| container) | | | | 2 tablespoons lemon juice |
| without going through the transplant stage.Soak the | | | | 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin |
| seeds in water overnight to help germination, before | | | | 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander |
| planting. You | | | | 1/2 teaspoon paprika |
| should see your plants emerge in 10-14 days. Two | | | | 1/4 teaspoon chilli powder (optional) |
| or three plants will emerge from each of the seed | | | | Salt to tastePreheat oven to 180C. Peel beetroot |
| clumps, but then you have to make a decision | | | | and cut into 1" cubes. |
| before thinning. Do you want to eat the leaves or | | | | Coat the beetroot with olive oil by tossing in a bowl. |
| the root?If you pick the leaves often, the root will | | | | Spread |
| develop poorly. Some sort of trade off has to be | | | | cubes on an oven tray and cook until soft, about 30 |
| made. Even so, | | | | minutes. |
| small beets are better than no beets at | | | | Remove and let cool.Once beetroot is cooked and |
| all.Vegetables do best when they grow quickly and | | | | removed, turn the oven up to 200C. |
| beets are no exception. Feed them every couple of | | | | Cut the pita bread into dipping pieces, either triangles |
| weeks with a good water soluble plant food. They | | | | or strips. |
| should be ready to harvest in 8-12 weeks.Preparing | | | | Spread them out on a baking tray and bake for 10 |
| Beetroot When boiling beetroot (in salted water), | | | | minutes, or |
| always leave the skin on. Otherwise the colour will | | | | until crisp.Place the cool beetroot with all other dip |
| run. | | | | ingredients in a blender and puree. Display your spicy |
| Allow to cool, peel, then cut to size. | | | | purple dip in a bowl surrounded by crispy dipping pita |
| Wrap in foil and bake, just like a potato. Then serve | | | | strips.Judy Williams ( aspires to become a fulltime |
| it with sour cream and chives. | | | | earth mother goddess. This site acts as a primer for |
| Juice it raw with carrots and celery | | | | all vegetable gardening aspects covering topics like |
| Whip up some Russian Borscht. Again, the sour | | | | how to build a garden, nurture seedlings, container |
| cream and beetroot combo is excellent. | | | | gardening and composting. |