Puréed Beets with Yogurt & Za’atar | Jerusalem

If I have to put together a table of meze selections, top on the list are: puréed beets with yogurt and za’atar, baba ganoush, and butternut squash and tahini spread. Conveniently, these scrumptious recipes are grouped together under the vegetable section in Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. Beets, eggplant and butternut squash have different personalities, but collectively, they play well together in a marvellous way to start a meal.

Beet is one of a handful of vegetables with a strong presence. If you ever doubt it, you can see how aggressively it colors your hands. The sweetness of the beets is perfectly balanced with chile and za’atar and the dish takes on a savory edge. It’s hard not to take another bite of this. On the other hand, what better way is there to use up several pounds of beets?

Similar to the butternut squash spread, date syrup is featured prominently to drizzle over as a finishing touch. For substitutions, maple syrup and pomegranate syrup are sweet alternatives I’d embrace wholeheartedly. Furthermore, toasted hazelnuts and goat cheese add a flavorful and textural dimension and beauty to this incredible spread.

Print Recipe

Puréed Beets with Yogurt & Za'atar

Ingredients

• PUREED BEETS & YOGURT
• 2 pounds beets (they should weigh about 1 lb after roasting and peeling)
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
• 1 cup Greek yogurt, plain
• 1/2 tablespoon date syrup (you could also use maple syrup if you have it)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra oil to finish the dish
• 1 tablespoon za’atar
• Pinch salt and pepper
• TO GARNISH
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted until golden brown
• 2 ounces soft goat’s milk cheese, crumbled

Instructions

1

Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.

2

Wash the beets and place them on a pan that has been lined with aluminum foil. Roast them uncovered for about an hour (** or until you can easily slide a knife into them). Take the beets out of the oven and let them cool until you can handle them. Peel the beets, cut them into quarters and allow to cool completely.

3

Put the beets, garlic, chili flakes and yogurt in a food processor and blend until into a smooth paste.

4

Transfer the beet mixture to a large bowl and mix in the maple syrup, olive oil, za’atar and 1 teaspoon salt.

5

Place the puree on a flat serving plate, using the back of a spoon to spread it evenly around the plate.

6

Sprinkle the green onions, almonds and the goat cheese on the puree and drizzle with olive oil.

7

Serve at room temperature

Notes

Adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi