Winter Roots
(Beta vulgaris rubra, Daucus carota sativus, Pastinaca sativa & Raphanus sativus niger)
Beetroot, Carrot, Parsnip & Spanish Radish
As these crops grow, during Summer & Autumn, they accumulate starch in their developing root systems, a natural food reserve that is then used by these biennials the following Spring to send up large flower stalks. Over Winter, this starch is converted into sugar during extended cold periods, which is why carrots and parsnips taste sweeter after they have been frosted.
Beetroot Cake
Toss in the food processor 400gr cooked, peeled beetroot, with scant cooking water, & puree. Combine dry ingredients separately: 1/2 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup white flour, 1/2ts baking powder, 1/2ts salt, 1 cup white sugar. Pulse dry into beetroot puree.
Combine 2/3 cup sunflower oil, 1/3 cup buttermilk, 1ts vanilla & 3 eggs. Pulse into the beetroot mix, just to combine - will be wonderfully purple! Pour batter into a prepared 9" tin. 175deg for 50 min.
Optional additions to the batter: orange zest & 1/2 cup chocolate chips. This cake has the texture of a steamed pudding - in fact, serving it as a pudding would be a great idea.
More Cakes : Apple & Cinnamon, Pear & Pecan, Rhubarb & Polenta
Carrot Halva - for dessert
Melt 30gr butter in a heavy bottomed pot. Grate 1kg carrot finely and saute on medium heat for 10 min. Turn down heat to low; add 1lt milk, 2tb sugar, 1ts ground cardamom and a dash of salt. Simmer for up to 4 hours till most of the residual liquid has evaporated. It does look a bit curdled during this time but all will come right in the end.
Delicious served with yoghurt & currants topped with pistachio or almonds. Try combining with Poached Gooseberries or Rhubarb Compote.
Parsnip Chutney
Parsnips also grow well for us: wet springs ensure good seed germination, deep soils mean long root development and hearty winter frosts sweeten them up.
Combine all ingredients in a large preserving pan and simmer on low for up to 4 hours until thick with very little excess liquid remaining.
- 1kg coarsely grated parsnip
- 500gr minced onion
- 500gr brown sugar
- 1tb curry powder
- 1tb black mustard seed
- 2ts salt
- 1/4ts chilli flakes
- 3 cup vinegar (try a mixture of white and balsamic)
Can be eaten straight away but left to mature the flavours will mellow and integrate.
Black Spanish Radish
Serve Black Spanish Radish simply steamed, with butter, salt & pepper
This heirloom vegetable has a very distinctive black skin, which contrasts with the white interior of the root. Fiery hot, if eaten in Autumn, its flavour changes completely over Winter. The conversion of starch to sugar is gradual & ongoing, as we have discovered when storing excess roots in the fridge as the surplus is lifted in Spring. Kept this way they can still be eaten in December & becoming extremely sweet.
