Can’t stop the beet! 10 tantalising beetroot recipes – from hearty borscht to tempting brownies

Delicious, versatile and good for you - there's so much you can do with this ruby-coloured root vegetable apart from pickling it. Here are some of the best recipes to get you started

The beetroot has a long and storied history. Assyrian texts from 800BC describe beetroots growing in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The ancient Romans considered them an aphrodisiac and used them to treat everything from fever to constipation. In 1653, Nicholas Culpeper said they embodied the energy of Saturn. The Victorians used them to dye their hair. Even now beetroot is heralded as an incredible source of folate, manganese, iron and vitamin C. And to think I spent my childhood flicking it off my plate because I didn't want it turning my potato salad pink. Here are 10 excellent beetroot recipes for your perusal.