Can you turn beetroot into a decent burger? Yes you can

Beetroot is really easy to grow, great value for garden space, stores well and, of course, it is incredibly good for you. With three well-timed sowings, I can grow enough to keep us in beets all year around (with the last sowing lifted in October and stored in a box of sand).

Most people use beetroot for juicing, slaws or salads (baked with some blue cheese and walnuts and so on), but making burgers with them turns them into the main event.

Served in a fresh blaa with a yoghurt and dill dressing, a seasonal salad and some chips or homefries and you have a delicious, substantial supper. This makes six large burgers. I often make double or triple the recipe to freeze the excess, or use for the kids’ lunchboxes.

What you’ll need and how to make them

Reliable recipes: David Gillick, Tom Dunne, Mary Kennedy and more on easy go-to meals

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Gastro Gays’ chicken and black pudding en croûte

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The ultimate toastie: Melt butter, go easy on the cheese, and give it four minutes each side

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Makes 6/7

500g beetroot

100g bread crumbs

100g porridge oats

3 eggs, beaten

1 small red onion, very finely chopped

A large handful of finely chopped dill, thyme and parsley

Peel and grate the beetroot and put it in a large bowl. Add the bread crumbs, porridge oats, beaten eggs, onion and herbs, and season well. Mix it all together well with your hands. Season well.

Shape it into six or seven burger-sized patties and then put them on a plate in the fridge for an hour or so. This will help ensure that the burgers don’t fall apart in cooking.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Heat some oil in a pan and fry the burgers briefly on each side to seal them. Then put them on a baking tray and bake them in the oven for 20 minutes and serve immediately. They are even better on day two, if you have any left.

For details of the new visiting chef series, Homegrown, at GROW HQ in Waterford, seegiy.ie. Darina Allen, Wade Murphy, Ellie Kisyombe, Gastro Gays and Katie Sanderson are among the chefs taking part.