Serves: n/a
Cost: ~€0.70
Preparation time: ~50 minutes
Calories: ~30 per 1 tbsp
Joy of joys, this post’s all about beets! Can you remember my post some months ago where I wrote about some seeds I’d planted? Well, I’m pleased to report that they’ve been growing well and I picked my first harvest of beetroots this past weekend. I don’t often have wonderful luck with seeds and as a result usually buy pre-grown baby seedlings from the garden centre. It’s not the nurturing and nourishing I find hard, it’s getting the tiny little itty-bitty seeds to germinate. This time though, they all sprouted up (all except one pot, bizarrely)! They’re small, but for me that’s not a problem. Since I’ve discovered that I can buy them raw from the local farm I’d even say that the beets themselves aren’t even the star of the show. The thing that makes me happiest about my balcony produce is actually the greens, since that is something that I see even more rarely than the beets themselves. Check back next time for a recipe using the greens but for today we’ll be using beets.
Now, balcony growing isn’t always conducive to good results with fruit and vegetable growing. Limited space means you often have to try and grow things intensively, cramming many seedlings into a pot because let’s face it – while it would be ideal growing conditions, having a huge deep pot, with a mountain of earth for just one beetroot plant, isn’t really an economical use of space and resources. The beets I have grown this year are pretty small – they’d actually be perfect for a tarte tatin which I think I might look into this week. As a result, I won’t be using the little home-grown tiddlers in today’s recipe, opting instead for the rather more meaty, full-sized versions!
I’m going to making a beetroot dip which I first got inspiration for from Michelle and Rachel over at Adventures in Growing. Sadly (for me) they don’t update the blog as regularly as they used to. If you’re not familiar with their site it’s well worth a visit. In amongst some fantastic photos of Australia as I’ve never seen it before, you can read all about their adventures and how they threw in the towel on their 9-5 life and went to, quite literally, live off the land. Anyway, the first time I saw the dip I knew that as soon as I got hold of some raw beets, I would have to give it a try!
Before we get into that though… some beetroot greens, fresh from my garden balcony:
One of my favourite things ever to do with beetroot greens is just to stir-fry them with lemon and some chilli-flakes, as I wrote about once here so I was sure to have some of those right away to satisfy those cravings. The rest though I saved for a wonderfully tasty dish which I’ll be sharing with you in my next post. “Oh boy oh boy”, I can hear all the beetroot haters say – I bet you’re so tremendously excited!
I’ll be off tomorrow to take some photos in the evening. Hopefully I’ll have something worthy of sharing with you soon. On Saturday it’s Bastille Day in France as well which will mean the country’s going to grind to a halt for the day, though at least there’s the chance to see some rather fine fireworks displays
Have a great day everyone!
Roasted Beetroot Dip
[learn_more caption=”Video Recipe” state=”open”]
Ingredients
- ~3 large, raw Beetroots
- ~2-3 cloves of Garlic
- 2 tsps Cumin
- 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 2 tbsps Olive Oil + extra for drizzling
You’ll also need
- A Food Processor
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to ~170 degrees Celsius. Peel and cut the beets into small cubes. Pour over the 2 tbsps of Olive Oil, sprinkle over the Cumin and Cayenne Pepper and mix well to combine. Transfer into a roasting dish and roast in the oven for about 40 minutes, until quite tender. Peel the garlic and transfer into your Food Processor along with the roasted beetroot. Blitz until fairly smooth. Transfer to a bowl, drizzle with a little extra Olive Oil and enjoy as a dip or spread.
Aw, so glad to hear about your beetroot! I’m surprised they don’t sell the beetleaves with the beetroot at the farm shop, they often come together in a bunch at the farmer’s market! I do love beet leaves, it’s much more interesting than spinach for sure, in fact it features in my next supperclub menu. there is this signature dish from singapore called sambal kang kong (water spinach) which you can’t get here, so we;ve replaced it with beetleaves instead. really excited abt this sup club because it’s sinfaporean food which uses british seasonal produce, what my blog is all about essentially! ok enough rambling, can’t wait to see what you do with the leaves in the next post x
Thanks Shuhan – you’d think they’d sell them too, but that’s too much to hope for. I think there’s not such a habit of using greens here. When people are buying carrots with the greens still on, they will rip them off (they usually even put a trash can next to the carrot box :p) in the store so that they will weigh less and thus cost less :p
So sad that someone is cutting off all the beet greens and essentially chucking away perfectly good “food”.
I have an urge to call it “sambal king kong”, sorry 😀 – it sounds great though, and I’m so jealous of your supper club… sounds like such fun!
You made this dip for me, didn’t you? I just love beetroot (or beets when I cross the ocean). I always have some dip in the fridge. This looks really good.
Enjoy the holiday. 🙂
Thanks Maureen – I’m too busy being bitter because if the 14th was on a week day we’d get a nice day off work, but alas it falls on a weekend, so it just means that all the stores are closed when I need to do my weekly shopping 🙁
I adore beetrot and roasting it (for me) is such a great way to bring out the flavour! Loved your “super fast peeling action” in the video 😉 My neighbour just bought me over some beetroot greens but no beetroot – will have to be extra nice to her!
Hi Chica – normally I’d be happier with the greens… What a kind neighbour. Way too many people just chuck the greens away!
The good news is, I love beets! And I love roasted beetroot dip so this is a great post for me. I love how you don’t just use the beets and throw out the rest. My mother was a child during the war and there was a shortage of lettuce so in salads they substituted lettuce for beet leaves. And everyone hated them and that’s how there was a huge resentment towards beets in my generation. I’m glad I haven’t been scarred xx
Hi Charlie – it’s sad that everyone of your mother’s generation got “overdosed” on beetroot greens. I had young ones in a salad the other day and they were so delicious. Because they’re so “out of the ordinary” these days, I can’t imagine ever feeling resentment towards them!
Beetroot!! It’s one of my favourite ingredients! 😀 This looks absolutely beautiful! Love the colours and I’m just imagining what it would taste like…wish I grew my own beets! Will have to make do with store bought ones.
Thanks Jenny – there’s nothing quite as satisfying as home-grown, but as long as you can get raw beets then it’s not the end of the world. Not sure if they still have the greens attached though… usually I don’t think they do in stores, which is rather sad!
What I love mostly about this dip, Charles is the obvious omission of any type of cheese or mayo, much healthier than most dips! The colour is exceptional and I bet it was incredible; the earthy flavours of the beet and cumin against the sharp bite of the garlic and cayenne. WOW! I wish I had a reason to make it.
Thanks so much Eva – you never need a reason to make it though… just whip out some bread and slather it on for lunch 🙂
Hey, I AM tremendously excited…but I am a beet fan. I’ve never even considered a beet dip, but I’m game! It sounds fantastic.
I AM tremendously excited! But I’m a big fan of beets. I’ve never thought of using them for a dip, but your recipe sounds amazing!
Thanks Liz – do let me know if you give it a try 🙂
Look at the colour coming off that beet!! Truly spectacular. You could frame that luminous close-up and have it up in every chef’s kitchen Charles! You’ve chosen some very interesting seasonings too – I’m completely curious how this would taste. Love the step by step.
Haha, thanks Kelly – it’s very kind of you to say! I always find that cumin goes quite naturally with beetroot, but to be honest cumin is probably my favourite spice so I would say that! 😀
I like the seasonings you’ve used in this, Charles. Would you eat carrot tops if you got them? I either have them removed or throw them out for the deer that come into our backyard.
Hi Sharyn, I do eat carrot tops! I actually made a carrot top pesto last year which is really nice. The only thing with carrot greens is that I think they have something in them which is toxic in large amounts so you don’t want to be adding them to everything, but once every now and again is absolutely no problem!
Thanks, Charles. I just checked it out — now I have to try it the next time I get carrots from the farm. Right now we have corn, green beans, cucumbers, fresh figs and our first cherry tomatoes: I love summer produce!
Ah, me too – fresh corn… wonderful. I remember in my youth I snuck into a field and stole some ears of corn from the plants on the edge of the field… Alas, after boiling them up, they were inedible… I guess it was a variety which was destined for use in making oil, margarine, flour, animal feed or the like 🙁
This dip looks great and I’m sure its better for being made with really fresh home grown produce. The idea of making Beetroot Tarte Tartin is a great one, can’t wait for you to post that. GG
Hi GG, actually I had already posted the tarte tatin, but liked it so much I thought I might make another, haha 😀 You can see the original post here if you’re interested 🙂
It’s such a pleasure to grow your own food, congratulations on your first harvest! 🙂
Thanks Laura 🙂
beetroot dip? You are walking on the wild side with this one and I love it! So pretty and captivating
Thanks KB – it had a beautiful colour in the end, and a lovely sweet, but not too sweet flavour 🙂
Dear Charles,
I would rather have this beetroot dip for a happy hour snack than chips or peanuts. Such a simple and delicious recipe let alone beetroot having great health benefits as well.
Hi Chopinand – I’ll take dip any day… any dip, over chips or peanuts. I have a bit of a weakness for hummus…. I kind of can’t stop eating it with a spoon, but it’s great to try other ones too!
I’m forwarding this post to my sister who is a huge beet fan! As for me – not so much. I do know that your beets and beet greens are beautiful!! What a green thumb you have!
Thanks MJ – I hope she enjoys it… do let me know if she gives it a try 🙂
Great produce! 😀
I’ve tried beets in salads, pickled, and in some dishes, but never as a dip. I love the idea though, and it’s so easy to make, I think the next time I get my hands on some beets, I’m making this! 🙂
Thanks Fati – it was a great change to hummus and things like that (although I adore that most of all!) – I hope you get a chance to try it 🙂
This could be most beautiful color dip among all the dips I know! I surely never tried roasted beetroot dip, and how unique! I love beet – I mainly eat as a salad, but this is very intriguing… and your stir fried beetroot greens sounds excellent too!
Hi Nami, thanks for your kind compliment – it does have a beautiful colour, and flavour too. It’s really nice to do “non standard” things with beetroot… it’s an exciting vegetable I think 🙂
Hi Charles,
This looks and I am sure tastes fantastic! I love the color of the dip. Absolutely gorgeous!
Thanks so much Asmita – I love the colour too, so rich 🙂
While I’m not a beetroot hater, I can’t say I’m a lover of beets, although I’ve had some dishes that were really good. Your beetroot dip is so pretty and enticing looking. And I’m very intrigued with the idea of stir frying the greens…that sounds really good!
Hi Betsy, I really think beetroot is the most maligned little root on the planet… so many people seem to hate it. I can’t understand why myself, but I think it’s always nice to try different things with it because I think it has so much potential!
Charles, I actually enjoy the beetroot greens a lot more than the beets themselves, but this dip is so gorgeous that I’d make it for a party even if I didn’t like to eat it – it’s just so wonderfully decorative and festive looking!
Thanks so much Jean – I find that because beetroot greens are so much harder to get I get so much more excited about the greens these days 😀 I love the colour of the dip too – it’s so vibrant 🙂
I am not a big fan of beet. But I have never tried a beet dip. Should give it a try. The colors are gorgeous.
Growing your own vegetables can be so much fun. I don’t have it in me, but my Mom loves it. She always has been a balcony vegetable grower. Now that she has enough space, she even has – believe it or not – two mango trees!
I did do some vegetable growing in my early years of marriage. I liked it while it lasted, but never really felt inclined to go back and do it again.
Hi Minnie – I think that even if you don’t like beets, once they’re roasted and blended with garlic and spices you might love it 🙂
We always try to grow some things each year on the balcony. Not much, but it’s fun to watch it grow 🙂
That is a great looking and healthy dip. I would put the garlic to roast with the beets though.
Glad to learn about your successful balcony garden, I was wondering how your veggies were growing. The beet green is gorgeous, how much did your harvest weigh?
This video shows you have nice long piano fingers, do you play the piano.
Hi Norma – I was thinking about the garlic, but find that I like the sharper flavour of raw garlic, but it’s just personal preference I guess.
In the end I didn’t weigh the beetroot harvest – I should have, but it’s been enough for 4 meals, so it’s not bad!
I actually used to play the piano, many years ago, haha 🙂 I think I stopped around the age of 15 though!
To serve 4 meals for 2, sounds like you had a few pounds. Glad you use your beet greens. You would be surprised by how many people discard the beet greens, even some of my garden friends.
Thought of taking up the piano again? With all that you are doing what’s another project, would make fantastic background music for your videos.
What a great idea and so healthy. I am bored with hummus so this recipe has come at a perfect time. Take care, BAM
Hi Bam – bored with hummus?! That’s impossible! I hope you get a chance to try this though… let me know if you can 🙂
Charles, it seems you are really crazy for beetroots! This dip looks fantastic and reminds me of a Polish beetroot spread which is mixed with horseradish. I’m sure you would love it! (I do!).
I’m looking forward to seeing your next beetroot dish. (Have you ever considered writing a beetroot cookery book? I don’t think I have ever seen it… In case you do, I would like to make a reservation for a signed copy please!).
Hi Sissi – I can imagine I’d adore that spread. Incidentally, horseradish is another one of these ingredients which I find hard to find in France. Have you seen it before? I really want to get some to grate into mashed potato and so forth!
I LOVE your idea of the beetroot cookery book. I should really think about it! I really do think that the beetroot… the poor, sad beetroot… is so hated in the world by lots of people, but they just had bad experiences with over-boiled, boring beets. You can even put it in chocolate cake these days – there’s no excuse for it to be so unpopular!
I think beetroots are hated by many people because their first experience was with the canned stuff.
Charles, I find horseradish (fresh) in a supermarket for restaurants in Switzerland (you know, the one where I buy very fresh fish and a wide variety of frozen seafood). When it gets colder I can send you some. I have never seen it in France though… I think I have seen horseradish in jars in French organic shops (of course it’s not the same as the fresh horseradish).
I must post the recipe one day!
My childhood experience is a kind of beetroot mash “fried” on a pan (without fat but still heated on a pan) and served as the side dish.
On the other hand I have always loved the horseradish spread on meat and pâté sandwiches!
This sounds VERY interesting, my friend. I can trust you to always introduce me to new and great things!!! =D
Thanks Angie 🙂
Congratulations on your first beetroot growing….the greens look especially bright and fresh. I simply love beets and greens so I will be back to see your beet tarte tatin…. good gracious it sounds delicious!!
Hi Malli, I actually posted the tarte tatin a couple of weeks ago – I liked it so much I wanted to make another though 😀 You can see the original post here if you’re interested – it was so tasty 🙂
Happy Bastille day! And you thought of us when you mentioned the beet haters didn’t you. 😉 Still, it is pretty. Congrats on growing some too! I’ll update our herb planting saga one of these days. It’s the stuff of tragedies. 😉
Thanks Kelly – I wasn’t going to mention any names, but I might have possibly had you in my mind when I was thinking about “people who seem to hate beets with the burning passion of a thousand suns” 😉
Looking forward to seeing your herb planting update – the last update was already heart-wrenching… thinking about them all mashed up on the floor 🙁
Oops, I mean “Kristy” of course… that’s what I get for commenting at 3am! Sorry 🙁
I love beets anyway they are prepared. This beautiful dip sounds delicious. Have you ever roasted the garlic with the beets?
Hi Karen – I actually like the sharper, stronger flavour of the raw garlic in this, but roasted garlic is really delicious too!
Hi Charles, I’m a little behind schedule these days, not really sure why, I just am, LOL. I have never tried a beet dip or even considered beets as a dip. This looks pretty amazing and easy, another dish I will have to try out. By the way I love your beet greens, looking forward to what you make with them. That’s pretty impressive growing them on the balcony they look so healthy. My greens always end up wilting before I have a chance to do anything with them.
Hi Suzi – it happens, sometimes I can be relaxing for a couple of days and then when I come back I find there’s 80 posts to catch up with, lol 😀
Too bad your greens wilt away… do they sell them in stores attached to the beets?
I used to hate beats as a kid. The idea of those mushy purple things out of a can would send me running in the opposite direction. It was many years later that I discovered the joys of roasting fresh beats and all the things you can do with them. Making this with beats you grew yourself must make them taste even better!
Hi Sawsan… if you were “forced” to eat canned beets I can totally understand your dislike of them. Commercial canning processes are great, but the contents is frequently over-soft with no good flavour or consistency!
Hi Charles,
I’m going to be really brave today and buy some beetroots for the first time and then have a go at this-I really must get over my ‘little phobia’…as after having a couple of dishes with beetroot in the year which I actually found I liked, I must give this a try….
BTW-love the music on your videos..That together with your commentary is very soothing and relaxing. Reminds me somehow of Camberwick Green!!
Hi GD – thanks so much for your kind comment. I’m so glad you enjoyed the video… I published another today. I think the new one is my best one so far, but it’s very much a learning process.
Do let me know if you try this. I hope you can find some beetroot greens too, then you can make the curry I posted 😀