Beetroots are easy to grow and can be sown from April to June. Harvest them when they’re the size of a golf ball. They’re delicious and nutritious and great roasted or grated into salads along with their colourful young leaves. Or try this fab dip:
Beetroot and walnut hummus. Adding beetroot to hummus gives it a rich earthiness, not to mention an amazing colour. Dry-fry a tablespoonful of cumin seeds for a minute and crush with a pestle and mortar (or use ground cumin). Break around 30g of stale bread into small chunks and put in the blender with 60g of toasted walnuts and blitz until fine. Add around 200g of boiled or roasted beetroot, a tablespoon of tahini, a large garlic clove, the juice of half a lemon, the crushed cumin, a little salt and a good grind of pepper, then blend to a thick paste. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. You could add harrissa for more spice. Serve it with warm flatbread, pitta or crunchy crudités. Perfect for a summer lunch or to take on a picnic.
