It’s mid July and beetroot and chard are in plentiful supply. This recipe was given to me by Margaret Kelland, a friend since junior school. Her farm shop, near Tring, stocks locally produced rapeseed oil* which is excellent and comes in a variety of flavours. She had used the chilli infused oil but without this, I could use the spices and flavourings listed in the ingredients on the bottle.

Our Swiss chard is a mid-early variety, Ronda di Lione. As it is tender, stems and leaves can be cooked together.

Cook beetroot in the usual way.

Finely slice an onion and fry it in rapeseed oil on a medium heat.

When the onion is soft, add some chilli flakes, finely grated ginger, two crushed cloves of garlic and a crushed stick of lemon grass (optional). Cook for a minute.

Add the shredded chard (if tough, add the stalks before the leaves so they cook for longer). Cook for a few minutes, then add the beetroot, cut into smallish chunks. Allow it to heat through and flavour with a shake of light soya sauce. Remove the lemongrass before serving.

The earthiness of this dish went down well in our household. For extra depth of flavour, some thyme leaves, picked from their stalks, could be added along with the chard.

* Chiltern Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Rapeseed Oil which has won a number of ‘great taste awards’.