THe Creative Self

Not long now and first crop of beetroot will be ripening, sadly not mine but my daugher’s.  I do not have my allotment anymore, but Kirsty is kind enough to share the produce she grows.

Here is a recipe I am definitely going to try, just adore the jewel like colour and sweet flavour of cooked beetroots, especially when roasted.  If you want to give it a try, the recipes are after these beautiful pics.

Beetroot Pesto
Serves 4

• 1 pound beets, cooked and peeled
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 ounces almonds
• 2 ounces grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
• sea salt
• 1/4 cup plus a tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Note: If you prefer a sweeter taste, scrub and trim the tops from the beets and roast them in a foil-covered pan at 400ºF/200ºC until fork tender, about 1 hour.

Instructions

1. Roughly chop the beets and run them in a food processor or blender with the garlic, almonds, grated parmesan and sea salt.

2. With the blender running, gradually add the olive oil. Keep and serve refrigerated.

3. Use beetroot pesto exactly as you would use traditional pesto: over roasted vegetables, with pasta, in risotto, or even better, serve with home-baked rye bread.

Rye Bread (with Sourdough)

For the Sourdough:

• 1/5 cup (1/2 dl) ymer or other soured whole milk product (yogurt must be diluted with water)
• 1 + 1/5 cup (1.5 dl) water
• 1/5 cup (1/2 dl) coarse organic rye flour, freshly ground if possible
• 1 + 1/5 cup (1.5 dl) standard organic rye flour, freshly ground if possible
• 1/5 ounce (5 g) yeast
• 2 tbsp. sea salt

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients and leave for 24 hours at room temperature or for five days in the refrigerator.

2. Sourdough will keep for one week in the refrigerator and can be frozen. If the sourdough doesn’t seem active enough, 1/5 to 2/5 ounce (5–10 g) of yeast may be added to the dough on day 1.

For the Rye Bread Dough:

• 1 portion sourdough, approx. 1/2 quart (1/2 litre)
• 1 quart (1 litre) water or dark beer
• 1/2 tbsp. coarse salt (but not first time the sourdough is used)
• approx. 2.5 lb (1.2 kg) organic rye flour (for grainy rye bread, use 50% cut rye grains)
• 1 tbsp. butter in 1/5 cup (1/2 dl) warm water

Instructions

Day 1: Mix sourdough with water, salt and 1 and 3/4 pounds (750 g) rye flour. Keep 1/2-quart (1/2-litre) dough 
for the next sourdough, sprinkle with 1/2 tbsp. salt and refrigerate. Put the rest of the rye bread dough in the refrigerator overnight.

Day 2: Mix the rest of the rye flour thoroughly into the dough. Put the dough in a 4.4-lb (2-litre) bread tin, filling it 2/3. Prove for a couple of hours until the dough reaches the top of the tin. Bake at 175°C/350°F for approximately two hours. A meat thermometer inserted in the middle should register at least 98°C/208°F. Brush the loaf with a butter/water mixture and cool on a cooling tray. It tastes best the following day. Rye bread keeps best in the refrigerator.

recipes by http://www.rigettaklint.com/rk/index.html?daily#menu