Recipe from a Ministry of Food leaflet that was produced during World War Two.
Beetroot.
Beetroot remains were discovered at Sakkara in Egypt, during an excavation of the Third Dynasty Pyramid and four charred beets were found at the Neolithic site at Aartswood in the Netherlands. Ancient mention of came from 8th century Mesopotamia and the Greek writers, Theophrastus and Aristotle mention the plant. Roman sources say that the beet was grown in the Mediterranean basin and this is backed up by Roman recipes that include the vegetable in the ingredients. By the Medieval Period the vegetable was in common cultivation in Europe.
This round, dark red root vegetable, with its velvety texture, sweet taste and its rich source of antioxidants and nutrients, evolved from the wild sea beet that grew freely along the shorelines of many countries from India to Britain. Originally both the wild and the early cultivated variety were gathered as a food source for the leaves (and not the roots, which were small and thin) and it wasn't until the 16th century that the familiar round shaped beetroot was developed.
Cabbage
Like the beetroot, the cabbage has been around a long time, had a common ancestor that grew on the seashore, (the sea cabbage or sea kale), and has been grown domestically for two and a half thousand years or more. It was the Celts in their travels that brought the cabbage from Asia and introduced it into Europe around 600 BC. However it wasn't until 1536 that it arrived in the Americas, when it was brought over from Europe by the French navigator, Jacques Cartier.
Cabbage In earlier time wasn't the tightly packed round ball that we know today; it was open leafed (a bit like spring cabbage). The round headed variety wasn't developed in Europe until The Middle Ages.
Beetroot and Cabbage Soup
Ingredients
2 pints of water
1lb of raw beetroot grated coarsely
½ lb of cabbage shredded
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons of vinegar
2 cloves
3 tablespoons of flour
A little grated cheese and chopped parsley
Method
Bring the water to the boil, add the beetroot and boil for 10 minutes
Add cabbage, vinegar, cloves and season well
Cover and boil gently until tender, 15 to 20 minutes
Blend the flour with cold water and stir into the soup
Boil for 5 minutes
Serve with a little grated cheese and parsley sprinkled on the top.
