Beets

[Swann]

When we were staying in Australia, we were served hamburgers with a slice of beet root. It was delicious; i had never thought of using it as a condiment on a burger. Next time you have one try it for a new experience with onion, pickle/relish, and catsup. You could also use it with tomato and lettuce but I am not a fan of burgers with that.

 

[daisy]

Do you mean to tell me that you DON'T get beetroot on hamburgers outside of Australia? It's an essential part of the salad, isn't it? (Of course, it's always tinned beetroot!)

 

[Swann]

I have beets quite often and grow them too.... love them pickled. I had never had or been served beets on a hamburger. Has anybody else? I assumed this is an Australian thing. I love a good icy borsch on a hot summer day and so easy to make.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Although my husband doesn't care for them, I like beets, & grow them for both the root & the greens.

My favorite ways of enjoying them are plain roasted, peeled, sliced & buttered, or "glazed" in what I believe is called "Harvard" style.

 

[Gretchen]

When roasting, always peel first and then roast. Otherwise, all you are doing is "cooking" them--no caramelization of the sugars which is what roasting enhances.

 

[mish]

I had never had or been served beets on a hamburger. Has anybody else? I assumed this is an Australian thing. I love a good icy borsch on a hot summer day and so easy to make.

Thanks for the tip, Swann. I enjoy beets (and borscht), as well. Never thought of putting it on a burger. Another interesting burger combo -- a slice of watermelon on the burger.

 

[Ellen]

Simply must have beetroot on burgers, pref. pickled.

 

[kyles]

I live in England now, and when I first moved here just could not believe that other countries don't put beetroot on their burgers, they just don't know what they're missing.

A huge deli in Manchester started selling Aussie burgers, which were extremely popular, and of course, had the beetroot on them!

 

[Chef_Jen]

Yup I love beetroot on me burger.. and on my turkey sandwiches

Oh and Cheese and beetroot is a very northern english thing! mmmm

 

[mudbug]

Re: the burgers - must be an Oz/UK sort of taste. But I'm not a fan of beets, unless it's this:

Ozzie Beetroot Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups beets blended to a smooth consistency
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups oil (olive or vegetable)
4 eggs
1/2 cup cocoa
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour


Directions:
Mix together sugar,oil and eggs. Sift flour,soda,salt and cocoa. Add alternately with blended beetroot and vanilla. Place in greased prepared tin (large tin) Bake at 325 F for 45 to 60 mins

 

[BreezyCooking]

I guess this will be an "agree to disagree" subject Gretchen.

I always roast my beets first & then peel, & they're not only easy as pie to peel, but are always sweet as sugar with that nice "roasted" taste. Definitely don't feel it's necessary to "always" peel your beets first. Just a matter of opinion only.

 

[bjcotton]

Up until last year, I would have rather gone out in the garden and eaten worms than have beets, especially pickled beets. Then my neighbor gave us some pickled beets in exchange for some home canned tuna. Most things I dislike I try every few years...I sat there and ate a whole pint of his pickled beets. I gave the recipe to friends that didn't like pickled beets and now they like them too, but only this recipe.

 

[karadekoolaid]

Yup I love beetroot on me burger.. and on my turkey sandwiches

Oh and Cheese and beetroot is a very northern english thing! mmmm

Hmmmph!

Allow me to correct you there, young lady....

I'm from Kent, and we ALWAYS had cheese and beetroot sandwiches late at night!!

 

[karadekoolaid]

By the way - I do my beetroot three ways.

1) boiled in their skins, peeled, splashed with a mix of olive oil, wine vinegar, a little sugar, horseradish or mustard if available, salt and black pepper.Leave in the fridge to develop flavour.

2) " Arab" pickles: peel and slice equal quantities of baby beetroot and turnips. Make a brine/vinegar solution with 500 ml water, 500 ml wine vinegar, 3 tbsps sea salt. Bring to the boil then turn off.
Place a few celery leaves, a little coriander seed, mustard seed and black peppercorns in the bottom of a wide-necked jar. Add a layer of beetroot. Now add a layer of turnips. Continue like this, adding a few spices every now and then, until the jar is almost full. Pour the salt/vinegar solution over the top and seal.

3) Pickled Beetroot. We used to do this with malt vinegar which, unfortunately, is unavailable here in Venezuela. I use a 60-40 mix of wine / white vinegar. dissolve 1 tsp of sugar into the vinegar, add peppercorns and a few slices of onion to the Beetroot layers. YUM! with Cheddar cheese..

 

[VeraBlue]

When roasting, always peel first and then roast. Otherwise, all you are doing is "cooking" them--no caramelization of the sugars which is what roasting enhances.

Absolutely right, Gretchen. I just made roasted beets last night. It's a favourite around here, especially for people who had sworn against beets for the remainder of their lifetimes. After I peel them, I cut them into wedges, toss them with olive oil, orange zest, a spoonful of honey and S&P. The flavours burst right off the pan.

Don't you love the pink fingers, too?

 

[Jyothi]

Re: the burgers - must be an Oz/UK sort of taste. But I'm not a fan of beets, unless it's this:

Ozzie Beetroot Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups beets blended to a smooth consistency
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups oil (olive or vegetable)
4 eggs
1/2 cup cocoa
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour


Directions:
Mix together sugar,oil and eggs. Sift flour,soda,salt and cocoa. Add alternately with blended beetroot and vanilla. Place in greased prepared tin (large tin) Bake at 325 F for 45 to 60 mins

hi mudbug
hv a small doubt. beets to be cooked prior to blending ??

 

[mudbug]

jyothi, I use canned beets. If you wanted to use fresh ones, I'm sure they would need cooking first.

 

[kyles]

I've used grated raw beetroot in the chocolate cake, just like you would carrot in a carrot cake, and its fine.

I always roast my beets with skins, but I eat the skins! I also eat the skin on roast pumpkin. I guess I'm just strange, but that wouldn't be news to y'all!

 

[mudbug]

hadn't thought of grating them, kyles. Of course that would work.
I'll stick with the canned for now. however.

 

[BreezyCooking]

You're not strange at all Kyles - I often don't bother to peel off the skins of the cooked young beets I grow myself.

However, I do peel beets I purchase, because I don't know how they've been handled & grown.