My brother is quite the cook. He’s been doing quite a bit of cooking for a cafe lately, and one of the things he’s been making to go with his incredible sausage rolls is a beetroot relish. He sent me the recipe, and I happened to have golden beetroot growing, so used that.

I didn’t even realise that I was growing beetroot! I actually thought that I was growing some rainbow chard/silverbeet, as the leaves were so lush with vibrant stalks, but then when I looked a bit closer I found that they were actually bulbing up at the base, and so I had a small glut of beetroot. What better way to use it up than to make some relish?

It’s a very simple recipe, and if you prepare the jars properly, and sterilise them, then this will keep in the larder for quite some time. But it is so delicious that you will be putting it on everything. Keep it in the fridge once open.

Golden Beetroot Relish

Ingredients

• 500g raw beetroot, peeled and grated
• 1 red onion, grated
• 2 tart/sour apples, like Granny Smith, grated
• 2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
• 2 tsp coriander seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
• 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• salt and pepper
• juice and zest of 2 lemons
• 200g brown sugar

Directions

1. Put the onion, beetroot, apple and spices into a pot over medium heat for 5 minutes
2. Add vinegar, lemon juice and zest and simmer for around 25 minutes. Mine actually took less – just until the beetroot is cooked
3. Add the sugar and cook until jammy in texture. It will thicken on cooling.
4. Pour into sterilised jars.