Beetroot was never really a vegetable I ate as a child. I don’t think it was sold in the shops the way it is today. Yes I’m going to show my age but you couldn’t buy it all year round either. In fact there were a lot of vegetables I have never tried until I was much older. Although, that is for another blog post.
The first time I tired cooked beetroot, not from a packet, I had it roasted in Australia. I was living with my best friend Briony’s family and they made roast dinner with roast beetroot and other vegetables. It was so delicious and the beetroot is the one veggie I can remember most about this meal.
The beetroot we ate with the roast was juicy and sweet. It made a delicious change to the roasted parsnips and carrots I was used too. I just loved it. Many years later I started shopping at our local farm shop and I noticed local beetroot being sold on the shelves. It looked so good that I brought a big bunch and of course, I started experimenting. I now have lots of different beetroot recipes on my blog but this one, I think is one of the best.
Do you love beetroot and how do you eat yours? Let me know in the comment below and please don’t forget to like and follow me.
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Chopping board
- Vegetable peeler
- Baking Trays x 2
- Food Processer
Ingredients
- Beetroot x 4 large
- Basil x 1 large handful
- Pine or cashew nuts x 200g
- Olive oil x 80mls plus extra for the baking tray
- Lemon x 1 juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Small on the vine tomatoes x 500g
- Salt for the tomates
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C or gas mark 4.
- Peel the beetroot and put it into the baking tray.
- Add enough oil to cover the beetroot.
- Toss the beetroot in the oil and once everything is covered in the oil place the tray into the oven.
- Cook the beetroot for about 25 – 30 minutes or until it starts to brown on the edges of the beetroot.
- Once cooked remove and leave to cool until it’s touchable.
- Take about 10 – 16 pieces of beetroot out of the baking tray and set aside for decoration.
- When the beetroot is cool add it to the food processor.
- Also add in the basil, pine or cashew nuts, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
- Slice the lemon in half and juice it with a fork or the juicer.
- Add the juice into the processor.
- Blend all of these ingredients together until they are at a consistency you like to eat.
- Set this aside.
- Put the on the vine tomatoes into the second baking tray and drizzle oil over the top.
- Sprinkle over a pinch or two of salt.
- Toss the tomatoes in the oil and salt and put them under the grill for 5 – 10 minutes or until the tomatoes start to split.
- When they start to split remove and leave to cool.
- Place the saucepan onto a high heat and add water.
- Bring it to the boil and add in the pasta.
- Add a pinch of salt to the water and cook as per the packet instructions.
- Once the pasta has cooked, turn the heat off, drain through a colander and leave.
- Put the pesto in the bottom of the pan.
- Add the pasta to the pesto and not the other way round.
- If there is any water from the pasta pour that in too.
- Mix all of the ingredients together.
- Serve the pasta, put on the beetroot you set aside earlier in this recipe and add the grilled tomatoes.
- Then enjoy.
Roasted Beetroot Pesto with Grilled Tomatoes was a delicious meal that my husband Howard and I enjoyed. My son Ted, who is seven nearly eight, was a little unsure. The flavour of beetroot can be quite strong. Ted enjoys strong flavoured foods but if it’s the wrong taste he won’t eat it. He did eat this meal but it wasn’t one of his favourites. The meal might not be a kid friendly food but it’s definitely an adult one. All the ingredients in the meal can be frozen so you could make a big batch and freeze it for another occasion. However you decide to eat this dish, as always, please enjoy. Thank you xxx
Googies Kitchen Life 