Beet And Walnut Puree Recipes

BEET AND WALNUT DIP

Steps:

• In a blender (or food processor, they work equally well) combine the roasted beets, walnuts, garlic, vinegar and maple syrup. Blend to combine.
• With the blender running, drizzle in the olive oil. Season dip with salt and za'atar, if using. Blend into a smooth paste. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (see note).
• At this point, the dip can be transported to an air tight container and kept, refrigerated, for up to 4 days.
• To serve: partially fold in the sour cream to the dip. I like to marble the red and the white colours instead of completely combining them. Spoon into a shallow bowl with plenty of surface area.
• Drizzle the dip generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with dill and black pepper. Finish with flaky salt. Serve with crackers or pita and cut vegetables.

BEETS WITH GARLIC-WALNUT SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash beets well. While still wet, wrap them individually in foil and place on a cookie sheet or roasting pan. Bake beets, undisturbed, for 60 to 90 minutes, until a thin-bladed knife pierces each with little resistance. (They may cook at different rates; remove each one when it is done.)
• Meanwhile, put oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. When it is warm, add garlic and cook until fragrant and beginning to soften, about 6 minutes. Add walnuts and continue to cook until they begin to color, about another 4 minutes. Let mixture cool slightly and then put it in a small food processor; process until you have a relatively smooth paste. Add orange juice to taste and sprinkle with salt and lots of pepper.
• After beets have cooled, peel off skins. Slice beets into wedges or cubes and toss with dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning, garnish with parsley and serve.

SPICED BEET PUREE WITH WALNUT OIL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a large double sheet of aluminum foil, place the beets with the garlic, bay leaves, cloves and allspice. Wrap up into a package and roast until beets are tender, about 2 hours.
• Open the package, cut the stems off the beets and peel. Place the beets in a food processor and process until smooth. Stir in the walnut oil and the salt. Divide among 4 plates and serve immediately.

BEET DIP WITH LABNEH

Steps:

• Put the beets, whole walnuts, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, chile flakes, garlic and salt into a food processor or blender. Purée on high until beets and nuts are finely chopped. Scrape down the sides, and blend again, until the mixture gets slightly smoother. Add the olive oil, and blend again, scraping down the sides, until mixture forms a coarse purée. Taste, and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and additional lemon juice, if desired.
• Spoon labneh into a bowl, smoothing it, then heap the beet dip on top. Top with a generous drizzle of olive oil and chopped walnuts; grate some lemon zest on top. Serve with pita and cucumbers for dipping.

GARLICKY BEET SPREAD WITH YOGURT, DILL AND HORSERADISH

Steps:

• To roast beets, heat oven to 375 degrees. Place beets in a small baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Add 3 tablespoons water to bottom of dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake until tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, turning beets after 45 minutes. Let cool, then peel.
• Using a food processor, grind walnuts, garlic and salt until very finely ground. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add the peeled beets, oil, yogurt, lemon juice, dill and horseradish and pulse until relatively smooth. Taste for seasoning and add more lemon or salt, or both, if needed. Serve with latkes or fritters, or use as a dip for vegetables.