I simply adore beetroot.  I love their earthy sweetness and the fact that you can almost taste the soil they’ve been raised in.  I love their rich Burgundian colour and the Lady Macbethian stains they leave all over your hands and kitchen.  I love that they’re really good for you, rich in folic acid, potassium, magnesium and iron as well as vitamins A, B6 and C.  

I also love chutney and here is where two of my passions collide most joyfully.   Beetroot chutney – perfect with pies, divine at dinner time and simply super in a sandwich.

We’ve managed to amass quite a glut of beetroot in our Somerset garden this year and after serving a variety of beetroot inspired dishes at virtually every opportunity we’ve only made a mere dent in the harvest.   So, I’ve turned to chutney!  There’s a wonderful recipe that’s been adapted from my apple chutney recipe, you can increase the quantity as required.

If you fancy an experiment you can also cook up the beetroot leaves as you would spinach. They’re best fried off with a little butter and very yummy with pork.

Simply place all of the ingredients in a heavy bottomed pan bring to the boil and then simmer for approximately 40 – 50 minutes or until the chutney is thick and the beetroot tender.   Ladle into sterilized jars and store for a month before eating. This chutney should keep very happily for up to 6 months in a cool dark place.

3lb beetroot, peeled and diced

1 onion, diced

1 cooking apple, peeled cored and diced

Zest and juice of 1 orange

12 oz of golden or brown sugar

1 pint of malt vinegar

4 tsp ground ginger

4 tsp of grated nutmed

2 tsp salt