Winter Special - Beetroot
Winter Special - Beetroot
A favourite in 1970’s British salads (served cooked and pickled in vinegar), beetroot is a root vegetable with dark, purple skin and pink/purple flesh. It has also enjoyed something of a deserved comeback in recent years, its earthy, rich and sweet flavour and vibrant colour lends itself to a variety of both sweet and savoury dishes. Beetroot is a close relative of spinach and chard and has good nutritional content – it is also considered to be a good detoxifier.
INGREDIENTS
• 150g grated beetroot
• 200ml vegetable oil
• 250g castor sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 tbsp milk
• 100g chopped almonds
• 200g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking powder
METHOD
1. Pre-heat oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas mark 3
2. Line the bottom of a 25cm/10 inch spring form cake tin with baking paper
3. Separate egg yolks from the egg whites and keep aside
4. In a mixing bowl, whisk the oil and sugar to combine
5. Add the egg yolks and milk and mix in well
6. Add the beetroot and chopped almonds
7. Sift the flour, baking powder and spices together and gently stir into the liquid mixture
8. Whisk a third of the egg whites until stiff and fold through into the mixture
9. Gently fold through remaining egg whites
10. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 30 to 35 minutes
11. Insert a skewer into the centre of the cake and if it comes out clean the cake is cooked
12. Allow to cool before serving