If you haven't salt-roasted a beet, give it a try. It’s a game changer. Placing the beets, unpeeled, on a bed of salt serves to draw out much of the moisture from the outer layer of the root. It creates a tough skin while steaming the beet on the inside. Avoiding the pot of water, salt-roasted beets have intense beet flavour with just enough seasoning.
Remember to keep your salt after baking for another round or break up the clumps and use it as to salt the rim of your glass for your own beet kvass cocktail creation.
Preparation
Preserved Lemons
3 lemons, plus 1 to 2 additional lemons for juice
1/3 cup Kosher salt
Pinch of chilies (optional)
Wash and remove any stickers from the lemons. Cut 3 lemons in half. Using a reamer or juicer, juice the 3 lemons.
Cut each juiced half lemon in half and add to a small mixing bowl. Pour the lemon juice through a strainer (to remove the seeds) onto the lemons. Add the Kosher salt and chilies into the bowl. Using clean hands, work the salt into the rinds. Cover the bowl with a towel and let sit for about 6 hours or overnight. The salt will pull more liquid from the rinds.
Using a small, clean glass jar remove the rinds from the bowl and pack them into the jar. Pour the remaining salt and juice into the jar. If the lemons are not covered, use juice from the remaining lemons to completely cover the jarred lemons.
Place a clean lid on the jar and allow the lemon to sit in a cool, dark place for 3 to 4 weeks. Use the leftover lemons in marinades, dressings, tagines, to flavour olives and more
Salt-roasted beets
2 cups Kosher salt
8 medium-sized beets
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
On a small baking tray, add the salt and spread it out to make a 1/2-inch-deep bed.
Wash the beets and nestle them into the salt, leaving some space between the beets. Bake the beets for about 11/2 hours or until they're cooked through (check by piercing one of the largest beets with a knife). Turn the oven off and let beets cool until they can be handled.
Once cooled, use a sharp knife and peel the skin from the beets. Reserve.
Pressed yogurt
2 cups whole-milk yogurt
1 teaspoon honey
Pinch of sea salt
Place a cheesecloth-lined strainer over a mixing bowl. Add the yogurt and let sit 4 hours (or in the refrigerator overnight) until the preferred consistency.
Once the water has been drained to your liking, place the yogurt into a small mixing bowl. Keep the drained liquid or protein-rich whey to use in salad dressings, smoothies or soups. Add a pinch of salt and the honey. Stir well. Reserve.
Walnuts
1/2 cup walnut halves or pieces
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of sugar
Place a small pan over medium-low heat. Add the walnuts and warm until they just start to brown. Remove the pan from the heat and add the oil, salt and sugar and toss until well combined. Cool and reserve.
To serve, remove one or two wedges of lemon from the jar and rinse under cold water to remove excess salt. Using a sharp knife, cut or scrape the pith (the white inside) from each wedge. Cut the lemon skin into thin strips. Reserve.
Cut each beet into 4 slices. On 4 small plates, smear one quarter of the pressed yogurt across each plate. Place 4 slices of beets on top of the yogurt (alternating red and gold if you have them). Sprinkle a few strands of preserved lemon over the beets. Crush the walnuts and add a few as garnish.
