So when I was contacted by the “Love Beetroot” campaign about developing some recipes involving beetroot, I was really very keen to join in.

The first beetroot recipe I tried was a no-brainer, as I’d been hankering after trying it out for a couple of weeks. It was a Beetroot & Chocolate cake.

Hubby was a bit disappointed in that he couldn’t taste the beetroot in it, but once I’d explained that you aren’t supposed to be able to taste it because the job it does is more along the textural lines, he was happy. In fact, he declared that the cake was the best chocolate cake he’d ever had – which is quite some accolade!

Even though I love chocolate cake, cakes in general are not something that I make very often, largely because of the “minute on the lips, lifetime on the hips” problem. I’ve got enough baggage on my hips already, it doesn’t need any more!

However, for the purposes of the challenge, I put any thoughts of my non-existent waistline to one side. Very noble of me, I thought.

Making the cake was a simple enough business and eating it certainly put any thoughts of irritation at having purple fingers, firmly in the background. The beetroot lends the cake a superb moistness that is sticky, yet light. It doesn’t coat your palate like peanut butter, but is wonderfully moist. In fact, as the days went on (see, we didn’t eat it ALL at once!) if anything, the flavour improved.

So, if you’re a bit dubious about beetroot in your chocolate cake, all I can say is try it – I’m quite sure you won’t be disappointed. You can find the recipe for it on my blog.

On to my next beetroot concoction.

This time, I wanted to use the Sweetfire® baby beetroot. These adorable little baby beets have been infused with a chilli marinade and are just the most delectable mouthful.

So I began pondering on what would go with the chilli effect of the beetroot, not to mention the beetroot itself. Here’s how the thought processes went: Initially, my thoughts travelled down the “one leaf of Little Gem, filled with chopped beetroot with horseradish cream and with some smoked salmon on top” avenue, only to wonder how that could be translated into a full-size main course dinner.

Financially, smoked salmon for dinner was out, so I went sideways and wound up with peppered smoked mackerel.

In order to make it more of a main course, I jettisoned the lettuce leaves and pondered on carbohydrates. So many forms of carbohydrate – pasta, potato and bread – just didn’t fit. Then I remembered couscous.

So, I had couscous, with quartered baby beetroot. Needs something to cool that chilli – aha! Cucumber, peeled and de-seeded. Couscous needs strong flavourings, so what about herbs? What would go with mackerel and beetroot? Fish always likes dill, so we’ll have some of that. What about something else, to balance the earthiness? Parsley, in this connection, would be a bit dull. Hmmn .. how about mint? Yes, mint! Goes well with fish and cucumber and won’t fight with either the dill or the beetroot. Maybe some red onion, to provide a sweet savouriness and lemon juice for balance.

One problem – I’ve not included the horseradish. Hmmn, ponder ponder. Well, I’ve got smoked fish and couscous but nothing particularly juicy or dressing-like. Horseradish sauce alone is too strong. How about if I were to let it down with a little Greek yoghurt? Yes! Then it would go not only with the fish, but also as a little dressing for the couscous – but not over the couscous, just by the side with some salad leaves.

Done!

In this way, the Peppered Mackerel with Sweetfire® Couscous and horseradish cream, was born. We ate it for dinner on Tuesday last and it was utterly scrumptious. It would work with just ordinary beetroot in natural juice too – just add a pinch of chilli flakes!

I’m investigating the idea of a zesty beetroot salad to go with a goat’s cheese tart for dinner tonight. I’m thinking along the lines of sliced beetroot in an orange juice dressing – but I’m sure it won’t end there!