Root to fruit: How to join the ethical food revolution

From reducing food waste to foraging for your own and encouraging better quality and standards, Ollie Hunter uncovers the little things we do to make a big difference

Create a tasty beetroot leaf dal using the off-cuts of vegetables (Louise Hagger)

Root to fruit is the same theory as nose to tail, an ethos made great by Fergus Henderson, a hero in the chef world. The only difference is that we’re now focusing on vegetables and fruits. It’s a bit like using the cheaper cuts from an animal, like lamb shoulder or beef shin, and turning them into something wonderful.

Carrot tops, broad bean (fava bean) casings, celeriac leaves and beetroot stalks – these are all decent foods that we can eat.

If you think about it, supermarkets are only selling us half the vegetable, so they’re actually ripping us off! If you buy a carrot, it should come with the green top. It’s like buying some running trainers without the laces – you wouldn’t stand for that.

All of the below are full of flavour, minerals and loads of nutrients. You can add them to soups, make salads, smoothies or stir-fries with them. Be aware that there are vegetable or fruit leaves, like rhubarb, tomato and potato, that are poisonous – don’t eat these. If in doubt always seek advice first before you eat.

Squash seeds Fried in oil and sprinkled with salt, they make a great snack
Carrot tops Great for pesto, stir-fry, chicken with carrot mash and carrot top greens
Beetroot leaves Use in curries or salads
Turnip greens Good in stews, pies or curries
Courgette (zucchini) stalks Cut into penne pasta shapes and cook like pasta
Broccoli stalks Use in soup, stir-fry or coleslaw
Broad bean (fava bean) casings Make delicious soups or creams
Pea shoots Make a beautiful garnish or salad
Herb stalks Finely chop and use like onion in sauces, in flavoured oils or vinegars and in salads
Root veg skins I never peel my veg because I use organic, but the peelings make great crisps
Brussels sprout tops For greens, salads, curry or even smoothies
Celeriac tops Use instead of celery
Fennel tops Great for flavoured oils, vinegars, salads or dressings

Beetroot leaf dal

One of the great things about eating from root to fruit is the added variety of flavours and textures available to us.

For example, sage flowers have the subtle taste of sage but are a little more floral than the leaves. Pea shoots offer a lighter and more delicate pea flavour than the pea.

In this recipe, beetroot stalks bring that earthy beetroot taste, but with added crunch and freshness.

Serves 2

100g cup dried red split lentils or split peas
Oil with a high smoking point such as rapeseed or sunflower, for frying
1 onion, diced 
Chunk of fresh ginger, diced
6 garlic cloves, diced
Handful of fresh coriander (cilantro), stalks diced and leaves left whole
1 red chilli, diced
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp black mustard seeds
4 fresh tomatoes, chopped (or half 400g tin of tomatoes)
4 beetroot stalks and leaves, thinly sliced (save the beetroot for another meal)
Salt
Dollops of plain yogurt, to serve

If you’re using split peas, then they’ll need to be soaked overnight in plenty of cold water before using.

Put a good amount of oil into a large pan (skillet) over a medium–high heat. Add the diced onion, ginger, garlic, coriander stalks and chilli and fry until soft.

Once they’re soft, add the cinnamon stick, ground spices, mustard seeds and continue to cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and lentils or soaked and drained split peas. Season to taste with salt and stir. Add 4 cups of cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes if using lentils or 40 minutes if using split peas.

Stir in the sliced beetroot stalks and leaves for the final 5 minutes of cooking. Serve the dal scattered with the fresh coriander leaves and dollops of yogurt.

‘30 Easy Ways to Join the Food Revolution’ by Ollie Hunter, published by Pavilion Books