Sugar beets.

Seems like a long time ago, but way back in June we were given some vegetables from one of the many Paco's which we realised were sugar beet.  Planted as he said, watered when he did, then watched them grow.  OK, not all of them grew wonderfully well, but as an extra and for free anything is good.  We googled at the time to find out what we could do with them:  boil, roast,  make into chips, fry sliced like crisps, grate raw for salads, even bake whole like a jacket potato!

This week the biggest ones have started lifting out of the ground, so we re-googled and when they are about 10cms plus across, and have grown for approximately 45 days, they are ready for eating.  I think that if they are grown for animal food, as Paco's are, it doesn't matter if they are left in the ground and get tough and woody - maybe a pig isn't as choosy about these things as we are!

Out came the biggest yesterday, the first one - and the smallest - we peeled and cut into sticks for eating raw.  Crispy and sweet and very delicious.  The next smallest we peeled and cut into carrot sized  pieces and cooked along with the carrots for dinner last night.  Again, delicious.  The flavour?  Think parsnip but sweeter.  Think of a just pulled baby carrot.  They are crisp like a turnip but sweeter.  (That's if you cook your veg like we do - certainly no soggy veg in this house)    The biggest ones weighed in at between 600 - 700 grams and they have been prepared and frozen for the winter.  There are more in the ground, hopefully they will carry on growing and fattening up.  And apparently the tops can be eaten too, a bit like spinach.  It's surprising how many green leafy tops are edible that you throw away...kohlrabi, beetroot, sprout tops, even the small  leaves from the horseradish plants.

Not pretty things, but tasty.