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Does anyone have any experience of growing and cooking Choggia Beetroot.    I pulled my first one today.  The root was completely under the ground. 

I have not grown beetroot for a while but had this image of it sitting more or less on top of the soil.  Certainly the beetroot in the next allotment looked that way.  But the Choggia was totally covered in soil no hint what so ever there was a large root forming.

Anyway cooked it 10 minutes in pressure cooker.   It went in red and came out yellow.  It was not red and white striped at all, more like white and yellow with swirls of pink.  Sliced it up and tossed in a bit of butter.  Tasted good but not like beetroot at all.  Tasted more like a carrot.  Texture rough not smooth like a beetroot.

Emma's the Choggia guru!

I have planted some of this, although it is not ready yet. Would also be interested in any ideas for recipes or tips.

 :D it's a very pretty beetroot, if you pickle it with white vinegar  , the vinegar goes a lovely pink colour, lovely to eat as a vegetable too, its an old variety / shades x

I like it, but the rest of the family don't, because of the way it looks when cooked. It loses the stripey lines, and looks a bit pale. They want something beetrooty coloured. I thought also that it actually tasted sweeter than Bolthardy or Detroit, but most people taste with their eyes.

On the other hand ~ when cooked it does look a bit like a rhinoceros testicle  :D

Quote from: Rhubarb Thrasher on June 20, 2009, 22:09:58
On the other hand ~ when cooked it does look a bit like a rhinoceros testicle  :D

I know I will regret asking this BUT are you speaking from experience and was it a culinary experience OR (hoping) a visual observation at Chester Zoo?

well it does look like some kind of bodily organ, that's all i'm saying. I actually like them (the beetroot, not the other one)

Well mine certainly did not look like beetroot.  But I do not have much experience of those parts of the rhino for comparison.  Did have a look at the pigs and I can see where  you are coming from.   :o :o

It was very tasty, it was just that it did not taste like beetroot.

I had my first of these last year from a seed swap and din't know what to expect. I now don't cook chioggia as they always seem quite sweet. I slice thinly or grate them raw and then either add them that way into salads or toss with vinagrette as a side dish.

Many thanks Suzanne.  I have never eaten beetroot raw, it will be a new experience.

Just eaten it.  Lovely now I know what  I did wrong.  It simply does not need cooking.  Ten mins in a pressure cooker killed it.

just been thinning out ours at the plot. There's no doubt that the germination rate and general health and vigour of them is much better than Boltardy or Detroit.......that's why we had lots of it in 2007. The other sorts just couldn't cope with the weather. And I still think it has a nicer flavour, no matter what it looks like

Hello all,
Not posted for a while - but a mention of Chioggia and I had to ask -

I've grown it for the first time this year, have pulled 2 small ones so far - took them straight home, boiled on for about 10 minutes (just in a pan) and peeled and grated the other raw.

They were both very sweet (and text-book white and red rings) but have quite a bitter after-taste - has anyone else found this with Chioggia, or other beetroot?

Thanks
Sophie

I just pulled my first Choggia. Looked very pretty. I chopped it into pieces and microwaved it on high for 3 minutes. Quite tasty as a veg on it's own.  ;D

it's very tasty raw, grated over a salad, but because of its stripes it does look a bit like grated J-cloth!

It isn't really suitable for making Borscht!
Best use raw in salads...