I really, really, really, want to love beets. They are one of the most beautiful vegetables to serve. They are easy to grow and they are nutritious too. Mostly they just taste like dirt to me. I know, I should call them earthy tasting, dirt is not appetizing. That’s my reality though.
I think my hatred for beets came at an early age. Back in the day, plates used to be garnished with a twisted slice of orange and a sprig of curly parsley, or maybe a spiced apple with parsley. I loved the spiced apple. It was red and delicious. Like a mini dessert. Unbeknownst to me, sometimes pickled beets were used instead of the spiced apple. You can see where this is going…they looked the same to my young eyes.
That first bite of beet, when I was expecting my beloved spiced apple slice…it ruined me. Beets were forever on the outs after that. Even though I’m a pickle lover…wasn’t happening with beets!
Yet this jewel toned root kept luring me in, I’ve learned that I like them in small doses – roasted, like on a salad. I like to pickle eggs in pickled beet juice. Surprisingly I love them in hummus!
Roasted beets pureed with chick peas and tahini, with a nice warm cumin flavor and a bright lemon taste, plus just a touch of cayenne is beet heaven. This beautiful hummus delivers the jewel tone that I adore and the dirt taste? Well, it’s just earthy and a great compliment to a veggie tray. It also makes a fabulous sandwich spread. Who would have thought?
Maybe I’m ready to give borscht a try????
- 10 ounces beets, scrubbed and trimmed
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (reserve the liquid)
- ¼ cup tahini
- ¼ cup good extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for roasting beets
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat beets with olive oil. Wrap beets in foil. Place on a baking sheet and back 45 to 60 minutes or until tender when pierced. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle (about 10 minutes) then roughly chop.
- In the bowl of a food processor add chickpeas, beets, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and salt. Blitz several times, then turn processor on and slowly add olive oil. Puree until smooth. It it’s a little coarse or thick add reserved to liquid for a creamier texture. Taste for seasoning. Serve with pita chips, veggie chips and/or vegetables.
- Tip: Roast extra beets to toss with a salad or freeze for another batch later on.
Comments are closed.