Beetroot & Radish

Beetroot or beets are a dark purple root vegetable with a vibrant flesh. It has a taproot and stalks that are chopped off before cooking and consuming. Its flavour is sweet and earthy when raw, but its earthiness becomes less intense when cooked. It is firm when raw and when cooked becomes tender in texture. Beetroot is popularly pickled raw, but can be cooked by boiling, steaming, grilling, frying and baking. Beets can be used in salads, pasta dishes, savoury tarts, sandwiches and burgers and are heavily used in plant-based and meat-free dishes such as vegan burgers and brownies. In the UK, they are typically in season from early summer to mid-autumn.

Radish are a root vegetable and members of the brassica/mustard family of plants which also includes broccoli, cabbage, kale and cauliflower. They are typically small cherry-sized bulbs with vibrant pink skin and white flesh. They are firm and crunchy with a flavour that can range from slightly peppery to quite spicy and like beets have a taproot and stalks that are chopped off before cooking and consuming. British radish season runs from May to mid-October.