Forager's cookcard #3: Sea beet

It's widely thought that all of our domesticated Beetroot varieties were originally cultivated from Sea beet. There's a familiar, beetroot note to the raw leaves, which narrow to a spear headed point in much the same way as its garden-dwelling cousin. As the name would suggest, it almost exclusively favours the coast; I've found it in abundance from the beaches of Devon to the furthest reaches of Cornwall. 

Try cutting a large handful of leaves into thin ribbons, sauteing them gently with a finely chopped onion in olive oil, before stirring in cooked orzo pasta and finely chopped Ramson leaves. Serve with grated Pecorino and a good grind of black pepper.

Roast Grouse with Blackcurrant and Beetroot sauce

'Twas The Glorious Twelfth yesterday - the start of the Grouse shooting season. I spent the day residing in my weather-beaten old hunting lodge, tucked away on a remote Scottish Moor. We dined in the evening by the light of candle flames. 

Sadly this isn't entirely true; this pic was taken in a studio in West London (sigh). You get the idea though...

Recipe: Gerard Baker
Prop styling: Tony Hutchinson
Food styling: Sara Buenfeld

Find the recipe >>>HERE<<<

Beetroot crisps with fennel salt

I’m a great fan of beetroot, but sometimes tire of the way it compels full-on culinary and visual commitment. Many of the other vegetables in the garden are happy to play part of an ensemble performance - Bulb Fennel turns in a fine Gloucester on a good day. Beetroot refuses to play any role but Lear, then goes all method in your kitchen, like Christian Bale. “Chide not fool; this is what I do!” it bellows; scarlet juices pluming through your meal. Simply does it here; thinly slice Pablo and Barbabietola Di Chioggia beets, deep-fry in Groundnut oil and serve with a scattering of ground fennel seeds and sea salt. Tasty stuff - not a tantrum in sight.

GREAT WITH...

Baba Ganoush

Roast beetroot with smoked mackerel, horseradish cream and hawthorn shoots

The countryside yields a meagre harvest in the final few weeks of winter. I found myself clutching at straws in late January; returning from the wood with nothing but a couple of herb bennett leaves and a bag of pine needles. There's a bit of young nettle growth knocking around, but that's about it.

So it was with genuine excitement that I wrote about the emergence of hawthorn shoots last week. These young leaves have a gentle nutty flavour; it's best to pick them now as they get increasingly bitter with age. Spring abounds. Nearly.

Serves 4

8 Small beetroots

4 Smoked mackerel fillets

3tbsp Creme fraiche

3tbsp Creamed horseradish

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

1 Lemon

Hawthorn shoots

Heat your oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Give the beets a good scrub; dry with kitchen paper, then quarter. Season in an oven-proof dish, drizzle with olive oil and roast for about 45 minutes. Mix the creme fraiche and horseradish together in a small bowl. When the beetroot is cooked, transfer into a medium-sized bowl, flake in the mackerel and spoon in the horseradish cream. Toss briefly with salad tongs, just so the beetroot and mackerel lightly catch the horseradish cream. Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice and fresh hawthorn shoots.

Beetroot from the garden