Beetroot & yogurt salad

Wash the beetroots well, keeping the skins on, then put in a large pan of salted water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until soft (up to 1 hour, depending on their size), topping up the water if needed. Start checking after 30 minutes – a knife inserted should slide easily into the centre of the beetroot. Drain in a colander then, when cool enough to handle, top and tail the beets, pull the skin away from the flesh, then cut into large dice and put in a bowl.

Put the shallot or red onion in a small saucepan with the vinegar, salt and sugar and slowly bring to the boil. As soon as it has boiled, remove from the heat and pour over the diced beetroot. Mix well, then cover and leave to cool in the fridge.

Once cold, mix in the yogurt and oil; season. Sprinkle over the salad onions or chives, if using.