Charred beetroot stalks with lemon and parmesan

Method

1. Slice the stalks off the beetroot, discard any tired looking ones and place the rest in a colander. Pour over a kettleful of boiling water, then leave to drain and steam for a few minutes in the sink.
2. Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil and when very hot, tip the beetroot stalks in, season well with salt, spread them out a little and fry without turning for 3-4 minutes. Toss them around and fry for another 2-3 minutes, then squeeze over the lemon juice and keep frying until wilted and scorched in places.
3. Tip them out onto a plate, drizzle over some good olive oil, grate over a generous amount of parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), and serve immediately with a chilli flakes or some fresh chopped chilli. Hunks of soft bread are great for mopping up the flavoured oil.
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