The under appreciated beetroot is one of this month's star ingredients. It's a healthy, vibrant vegetable that's in season now and delicious used in a variety of ways. Try a beetroot & butterbean hummus or other beetroot dip recipe to expand your beetroot repertoire outside the usual pickled or roast. These recipes are ideal to eat with carrot, cucumber and celery batons, pita bread crisps or spread over a Middle Eastern flatbread.
Beetroot & butterbean hummus
250g beetroot, cooked and dipped in vinegar but not pickled
1 x 410g tin butterbeans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Few stems of fresh chives, finely chopped
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Dice the beetroot into fairly small chunks and set aside.
Use a food processor to whizz up the butterbeans along with the garlic, chives and the olive oil, reserving a few of the chives to use as a garnish when serving. Season to taste.
Stir the diced beetroot into the butterbean puree until well combined. Serve drizzled with a little olive oil and topped with the reserved chives.
Beetroot dip recipe with walnuts and herbs
250g cooked beetroot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Handful of fresh coriander and parsley, chopped
50g walnuts, shelled
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
Add the beetroot, garlic, coriander, parsley and walnuts to a food processor and blend until they reach a coarse paste texture. Spoon into a bowl and mix in the oil and vinegar, then season to taste. Add a little more vinegar if the dip is too sweet for you. Allow to rest for half an hour before serving so the flavours can infuse.
Beetroot and mint dip recipe
250g cooked beetroot, chopped
Half a teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons chopped mint
Juice of half a lemon
3 tablespoons creme fraiche
Couple of pinches of nigella seeds
Blend the beetroot and cumin in a food processor until smooth. Spoon into a bowl and stir in the mint and lemon juice. Add the creme fraiche and stir gently to create a rippled effect. Serve garnished with the nigella seeds and a couple of fresh mint leaves.
Chilli pita crisps to serve with a beetroot dip recipe
6 pita breads, each cut into six strips
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
Preheat the oven to 220C. Toss the pita strips with the olive oil and chilli flakes in a bowl, then spread onto a baking tray. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until crisp, turning partway through cooking.
