Shredded Beets with Thick Yogurt
Although the vibrant pink color of this Middle Eastern dip
is startling, the flavor is superb. There are many versions.
Sometimes the beets are pureed and blended into the yogurt;
other times, they are simply sliced or cubed; still other
times, a little tahini is blended in for a deeper, richer
flavor. In this recipe, the beets are simply grated with the
shredding disk of a food processor, then folded into thick,
creamy yogurt. Serve as a dip or an accompaniment to fish.
Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 35 minutes
Chilling time: 1 hour Yield: 6 servings
2 cups plain low-fat yogurt, drained to 1 1/2 cups
8 small beets
1 large clove garlic, crushed with a pinch of salt
2 tablespoons fresh, strained lemon juice
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Pinch of sugar, optional
Sprigs of fresh mint for garnish
1. Drain the yogurt to 1 1/2 cups. Cut off all but 1 inch of
the beet stalks and leave the roots intact. Rinse the
beets well but do not peel. Cook the beets in boiling
salted water until tender, 25 to 35 minutes. Drain, slip
off the skins under cold running water, and cut away the
root ends and stalks. Coarsely grate the beets, using the
shredding disk of a food processor or the large holes of
a hand grater.
2. Combine the garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a
medium bowl. Add the beets and yogurt and blend well.
Taste and add a pinch of sugar if desired. Transfer to a
serving dish, cover and refrigerate until well chilled,
about 1 hour. Garnish with sprigs of fresh mint just
before serving.
From Paula Wolfert's The Cooking of the Eastern
Mediterranean
--
Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on
nothing but food and water.
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FIELDS, W. C.