beet dip

Middle Eastern beet dip

with goat cheese, hazelnuts, and za’atar

Not everything I cook is my own recipe. And not everything can be made better, or at least different but equal, by me putting my own twist to it.

I adore this dip and can’t imagine being able to improve upon it in any way.

The reason I’m bothering to post someone else’s recipe is that it’s included on more than one of my menus, and I want it to be easy for you to access it, should you want to follow said menu. But really, you should treat yourself to a copy of “Jerusalem, A Cookbook” by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, if you haven’t got one.

When I’m making an Israeli spread of falafel, dips, and salads, it’s rare that I leave this one off the table. Not only is it divine, it’s also gorgeous—especially when just about everything else on the table is some shade of brown. And if it were’t there, the kids would complain.

Ingredients:

About 2 lbs (6 medium) beets, roasted and peeled (see instructions below)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small red chili, seeded and finely chopped (I leave it out and use a bit of Aleppo pepper instead.)

1 rounded cup full fat Greek yogurt or labne or dairy-free yogurt for pareve. (my first choice is labne because it’s thicker and tangier)

1½ tablespoons date syrup (silan) or to taste

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

1 tablespoon za’atar (I use more)

For the Garnish:

2 scallions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

2 ounces chevre, crumbled

Method:

To Roast the Beets

• Preheat the oven to 350°.

• Cut off any long roots and cut the stems flush with the top of the beet. Reserve the greens for another use.

• Wrap each beet in foil and put them in the oven. Roast them for about an hour and then check to see if they’re tender by sliding the point of a knife into the biggest one. The size and the age of the beets will determine how long they will need to roast. Anticipate roasting them for anywhere between one and two hours.

• When they’re done, remove them from the oven. Handling them one at a time, remove the foil and rub the beet with a paper towel to remove the skin. Then repeat with the other beets. Do it while they’re still fairly hot (but don’t burn yourself!) and the skins will come off easily.

To make the dip

• In a food processor, combine the beets with the garlic and the chili pepper, if using.

• Add the yogurt or labne, reserving 1 tablespoon.

• Blend it to a paste and then add the silan, the oil, the za’atar, and 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste.

• Transfer the beet dip to a flat serving plate. Swirl in the remaining labne or yogurt, garnish with the goat cheese and the scallions, drizzle with a bit more olive oil, and sprinkle on the chopped hazelnuts.

Did you make it? Was it fabulous?