Charcoal-Roasted Beets With Yogurt Dressing
Roasting beets concentrates their sugars while preserving their earthy root-vegetable flavour, and outdoor cooks will love cooking them over a fire—the smokiness just adds to that earthiness. When buying them, look for ones with the leaves still attached, as they are fresher and sweeter than those whose greens (which are also tasty, whether raw or cooked) have been trimmed off. The sweet, smoky flavour of these beets paired with the tanginess of the yogurt makes for a perfect appetizer or side dish to accompany any lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
- 4 medium red beets with green tops unpeeled, trimmed (reserve the greens) and washed
- Olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup plain full-fat Greek or Balkan-style yogurt
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 shallot thinly sliced
Instructions
- Prepare a charcoal or wood fire in an outdoor grill or firepit, and let the flames die down, leaving red embers visible. Set a grate over the embers, if using.
- Place beets in large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, generously season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Wrap each beet tightly in foil and place near coals. Alternatively, don’t wrap beets and roast them directly on grate over embers. Roast beets for about 1 hour or until they can be easily pierced all the way through with a metal skewer. Remove beets with metal tongs, unwrap (if you used foil) and let cool.
- While beets are cooling, wash, pat dry and chop reserved beet greens. In small bowl, whisk together yogurt and apple cider vinegar, then season with a pinch of salt.
- Once beets are cool enough to handle, wearing gloves, peel off skin with paring knife or vegetable peeler. Cut beets into slices that are ¼ in (6 mm) thick. Place roasted beets, beet greens and shallot in large bowl. Drizzle with yogurt dressing and toss. Spoon salad into bowls and serve. (Alternatively, divide beet and shallot mixture among individual plates and serve drizzled with dressing.)