Recipe from food blog, “Cook Eat World”
This vibrant and beautiful bright pink dip is an essential at any Turkish-inspired meze table. A light, sweet, earthy and incredibly addictive dip.
8 oz beets (225g) pre cooked or raw
2 tbsp plain Greek-style yoghurt
Salt & pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp ground roasted cumin
2 tbsp fresh dill (chopped)
2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
Place cooked beets in a food processor, along with all the other ingredients. Blend for 1-2 minutes until very smooth.
Spread over a platter or shallow bowl
Mix a little extra yoghurt with a little milk to make it more runny then drizzle over the surface of the dip.
Sprinkle liberally with the herbs then drizzle over a little extra virgin olive oil and some black pepper. That’s it, you’re done.
If cooking the beets from raw
Preheat oven to 400F/200ºC.
Trim the stalks and wrap each beet in foil separately – skin on and place on a baking tray. Bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes until the beets are soft through (pierce with a sharp knife). Unwrap the foil and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Cover your hands in a plastic bag, or wear rubber gloves and peel the beets. The skin should come away very easily. Leave to cool completely before using.
Notes
Extra flavor – Sprinkle this salad with a little feta cheese for a perfect salty counterbalance to the sweet, earthy beets.
A tasty salad dressing – Dollop a little of this dip over a platter of peppery rocket leaves or watercress and top with some lightly roasted walnuts or pine nuts for a simple, flavoursome salad.
Make a yellow dip – yellow beets will make a delicious alternative to red.
Storage
Fridge – You can keep this dip fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days. Be sure to store it in an airtight container.
Freezer – This salad is best eaten fresh, but will freeze for up to 2 months. Be sure to completely defrost before using. For better flavour, bring up to room temperature.