Malaga, Spain
This time of the year the market become red-dark and purple. It’s beetroots season! My favourite root since my childhood, when I grabbed in the fridge and ate raw, like an apple. Sweet, slightly earthy and fabulous on the plate, this ruby red root goes beyond the flabby slices dipped in strong vinegar.
Though I prefer the fresh beetroots with leaves (bitter taste toss it in a salad), in Spain is few often find fresh one, so at my house I always have it the supermarket style: cooked and vacuum-packed.
But last wednesday I was walking the fair and I caught by surprise for Juan – the marketer – calling me: Beetroot girl! Beetroot girl! I got some fresh beets for you.
Backing home with a basket full of beets, on my mind I had Jamie Oliver’s recipe “Beetroot & tomato borscht” but reading the ingredients I turned my nose up at celery and cabbage. The method to cook was a hassle as well.
Time to be creative and use what I have in my hand. Some red onion, garlic, carrots, stock (from the old soup in the fridge), plum tomatoes, sour cream and aceto balsamico – why not a fancy touch? Now I have to name it. Thinking, thinking… I’ve decided to use my favourite sentence of Game of Thrones.
Let’s go cook!
Ingredients
1 red onion
5 cloves garlic
2 beetroots
4 carrots
1 tin of plum tomatoes
2 tablespoon vegetable stock
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 glass water
1 tablespoon aceto balsamico
Method
Peel and chop roughly the vegetables.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and a pinch of salt to get more soft (my mother-in-law hint). Fry for 5 mins.
Add the garlic, beetroots and carrots. Stir for 20 mins.
Pour the plum tomatoes, the stock (or water) and the glass of water. Cook for 10 mins.
Add salt, pepper, brown sugar (or white sugar) and the aceto balsamico (or any vinegar you have). Cook more 5 mins.
Serve it in bowls or mugs with swirls of the sour cream (or feta cheese or yogurt) and a parsley sprinkled over.
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