Beetroot in pink sauce

An old favourite from my childhood, rather less often used in our household for some years because our Elizabeth was always opposed to this kind of sauce.

Ingredients:

Beetroot, as many as you like.

Traditional white sauce, made by the roux method with butter, flour and milk, and seasoned with salt.


Method
No need to wash the beetroot unless they're thick with mud. If you do wash them don't damage the skin.

Boil the beetroot in sufficient water to cover them completely. About 45 minutes should be sufficient unless they're very large.

Towards the end of the cooking time, make the white sauce.

Drain the hot beetroot and find some way to hold them (e.g. a fork, or oven gloves, preferably some that are pink already) while you peel off the skin. If they're properly cooked this should fall away very easily with gentle rubbing. Cut off the ragged top and the long tail if there is one.

Slice the beetroot and add them to the white sauce. Warm them through, stirring until the sauce is nicely streaked with pink. Serve hot as a vegetable accompaniment.

This dish can also be made with left-over beets that have previously been boiled and peeled and stored in the fridge. In that case you'll need to warm them in the sauce for a little longer.