How to prepare Beetroot?

[cacran]

Quite a bit of my beetroot has been affected by pests, there are holes and patches in them. I usually cook them by boiling them in their  skins. Because I want to ensure there are no pests in them, I am not sure what to do with them. Can I peel them and chop them up  cook these?

[cacran]

[gavinjconway]

Simples .. Cook as normal with skins on. Then slice and remove bad parts..

[kt.]

Simples .. Cook as normal with skins on. Then slice and remove bad parts..

Ditto

[Obelixx]

For speedier cooking, I peel and slice, wedge or dice mine and then add flavourings such as garlic, oilive oil, s&p, cumin, chilli depending on what I'm cooking so yes, go ahead and chop to enure there are no beasties.

[cacran]

do you roast them Obbelix?

[gavinjconway]

Here is my recipe for spiced beetroot... delicious.

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,68744.msg698609.html#msg698609

[markfield rover]

Once beasties are removed beets are great eaten raw.

[Obelixx]

I like Madhur Jeffries recipe for beetroot with onions which is done in a pan - http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/534187 - and roast whole or in smaller chunks with olive oil and garlic and maybe any other herb or spice I fancy or baked with butterbeans and horseradish and a bit of cream.  this last is good with a crumble topping of grated cheese and brown breadcrumbs.

It also ends up boiled and sliced in sweet and sour red salad which is red cabbage, radishes, red peppers, red apples, red beetroot and red onion all sliced or shredded accordingly and tossed with red kidney beans and optional red chilli then dressed with olive oil, red wine or balsamic vinegar and sugar to taste.

[antipodes]

If you boil beetroot chopped up you will find that all the juice leaches out and you will be left with rather tasteless beets.  You might get away with it if you chop then wrap in foil and steam in the pressure cooker? Just scrub them even if they have holes, boil with skins and then cut out the bad bits later. many things like to sample beetroot as they are nice and sweet but usually pests don't get right inside them....

[Obelixx]

I agree about boiling whole beets with their skin on to reduce leaching of colour but roasting and baking raw, sliced, diced or wedged beetroot is fine.

[Stevens706]

I also roast in the oven wrapped in silver foil as I'm cooking the Sunday roast, gives it a smokey flavour