Roasted Beets + Herbed Yogurt
Roasted golden beets with herbed yogurt, thinly sliced croutons + pea shoots
This is the perfect example of a vegetable-centric “small plate”. Shareable items allow you to create a beautiful presentation, and you only have to do it once. Depending on the intimacy of the meal, guests can serve themselves with serving utensils as platters are passed around the table or share a plate.
Yield: 2-4 servings
Assembly
12 oz. cleaned roasted beets, see method below
½ c. Herbed Yogurt
10-12 Thinly Sliced Croutons
Pea shoots or microgreens
Olive oil
Squeeze of lemon
Pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Toasted sesame seeds
Crushed red pepper flake or Aleppo pepper
Cut beets into wedges or halves, depending on size.
Spread yogurt onto platter or plates. Distribute croutons, then add beets to the center. Garnish with pea shoots. Dress with olive oil and lemon. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and pepper flake.
Spread ⅓ c. yogurt on the plate. Add 6-8 pieces of beets on top. Keep it casual, respect where they fall. You don't want to see beet stains in the yogurt because you're rearranging them. Place croutons in the gaps and around the edges (5-7 per plate), if using. Sprinkle beets with salt and sesame or sunflower seeds. Garnish with microgreens or sprouts. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Garnish with a small amount of chile flakes and salt. Dot with pomegranate molasses, if using. Serve immediately.
I keep pomegranate molasses in a small vial with a dropper, so I can add small drops around a dish without going overboard.
Roasted Beets:
Use red wine vinegar for red beets + Chioggia beets, and white wine vinegar for golden beets. Using a baking dish that just fits the beets will ensure that they steam each other and cook correctly.
1-2 lbs. beets of similar size
1 T. balsamic, white wine or red wine vinegar
1 T. olive oil
½ t. kosher salt
1-2 sprigs of thyme, if desired
Remove beet greens at their base, don’t cut into the beet. Scrub beets to remove grit, rinse and pat dry. Add to a small baking dish and drizzle with vinegar and oil, sprinkle with salt and toss to combine. Add thyme, if using. Cover tightly with two layers of tin foil and bake at 450° for 45-75 minutes. Shake the pan every 25 minutes or and listen for the beets to soften. They should stop clanging around and feel soft against the sides.
Remove from oven and let stand 10-20 minutes. The beets should be tender and easily pierced with a fork. When cool enough to handle, peel beets. Use a towel, paper towel or gloved hand to remove peel. Slide your thumb over the stem and slip the skin off. Pull on the tail to remove the tough tap root. Be sure the beets are very clean, set them aside on a clean towel or paper towel as you work. Beets are easier to peel warm, but may be refrigerated for future use. Strain liquid and store with beets. If using a mix of colors, this will create a ‘sunburst’ effect on the golden beets.
Herbed Yogurt:
½ c. Greek yogurt
1 T. parsley
1 T. mint or dill, finely chopped
1 t. lemon juice (+ zest if desired)
1 t. extra virgin olive oil
⅛ t. kosher salt
Combine the yogurt, herbs, lemon juice (+ zest if using), olive oil and salt. Taste for seasoning. Be sure to add additional lemon juice slowly, as too much liquid will "break" the yogurt.
Thinly Sliced Croutons:
Don’t be tempted to oversalt your croutons. The seasoning will concentrate as they bake. Homemade croutons are the best way to use artisanal heels.
Yield: 3-4 c. croutons
1-2 heels of country bread
2-3 T. olive oil
¼ t. kosher salt
Hone or “straighten” your knife before starting.
Preheat oven to 350°. Place the heel flat side down on the cutting board, with the bottom of the heel parallel to the bottom of the board. Cut bread very thinly and evenly in 1-2 mm slices.
If you’re right-handed, start on the right side of the bread. If you’re left-handed, start on the left side of the bread.
Add slices to a medium-size bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt as you go. (Layering will give the bread plenty of time to soak in the oil and evenly distribute seasoning.) Let stand until oil is well-distributed. Gently mix, as needed, taking care not to break up the bread.
Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and arrange croutons in one layer. Place sheet tray on center rack. Bake until golden brown and thoroughly crispy, but not overly dark (about 20 minutes). Rotate tray halfway through. Remove from oven and cool on a rack.
Once croutons are completely cool, store in an air-tight container. Use within 3 days for best results. (Older croutons can be used to make breadcrumbs.)
