Grilled Beet Baba Ghanoush

INGREDIENTS:

• Olive oil (for grill and drizzling)

• 2 pounds red beets (about 4 large)

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon tahini

• ½ garlic clove, finely grated

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Sumac, za’atar, crushed red pepper flakes, or Aleppo pepper; grilled flatbreads or pita bread (for serving)

PREPARATION:

1. Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; lightly oil grate. Grill beets, turning occasionally, until skin is charred and flesh is fork-tender, 50–60 minutes. (Alternatively, you can tuck vegetables into coals left over from grilling something else. Wait until charcoal is completely covered with ash and no black spots remain. Shake grill to knock excess ash off coal, then rake them around and pile them up around vegetables.) Let cool slightly.

2. Halve beets; scoop flesh into a food processor. Add lemon juice, tahini, and garlic and process until smooth; season with salt and pepper.

3. Drizzle baba ghanoush with oil and top as desired. Serve with flatbreads or pita bread.

Do Ahead: Dip can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Roasted Beets with Balsamic Glaze

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pounds red beets, medium-sized, scrubbed clean, green tops removed

• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

• Salt

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

• 2 teaspoons sugar

• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest

• Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F and line pan with aluminum foil.

2. Prepare the beets: Place the beets in the pan. Rub olive oil over the beets, and sprinkle with salt. Cover the beets with another sheet of aluminum foil.

3. Roast the beets: Roast for 1 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the beets and how old they are. After 1 hour, test every fifteen minutes by poking a beet with the tines of a fork. Once the fork tines go in easily, the beets are tender and cooked. Remove from the oven.

4. Prepare balsamic glaze: While the beets are cooling, prepare the balsamic glaze. In a small, shallow sauté pan, add the balsamic vinegar and sugar. Heat on high until the vinegar has reduced to a syrup consistency. Remove from heat.

5. Peel and cut cooked beets: After the beets have cooled for several minutes, but are still warm to the touch, peel off the outer skins and discard. Cut the beets into quarters or more bite-sized pieces.

6. Pour glaze over beets: Place beets in a serving bowl. Pour balsamic glaze over the beets. Stir in grated orange zest, and add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with a little orange zest to serve.

Roasted Golden Beet Salad with Pea Shoots and Fennel Fronds

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pounds baby golden beets, scrubbed, tops and root ends trimmed

• ¼ cup olive oil, divided

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

• Pea shoots (tendrils), fennel fronds, and flaky sea salt (for serving)

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place beets in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp. oil; season with kosher salt and pepper. Add ½ cup water and roast until beets are tender and a paring knife inserted into the center meets no resistance, 50–60 minutes. Let beets cool slightly, then peel.

2. Cut beets in half and arrange on a platter. Whisk lemon juice, vinegar, and remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a small bowl; drizzle over beets. Garnish with pea shoots and fennel fronds and season with flaky sea salt.

Roasted Beets With Feta Cheese And Basil

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 medium sized fresh beets

• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, cut into thin strips

• 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, divided

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

• Salt and pepper, to taste

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 350F

2. Scrub beets well and dry, then coat each with a little olive oil.  Place in an ovenproof pan, cover with foil and roast for 40-45 minutes, or until the beets are tender (a knife should easily go into the beets).

3. Remove the beets from the oven and set aside until they are cool enough to handle.

4. Remove the skin from the cooled beets and cut into bite sized pieces.  Place the cut beets back in the pan and toss with 2 tablespoons each of balsamic vinegar and olive oil.  Roast for an additional 10 minutes.

5. Place the cooked beets in a large bowl.  Add the basil with the remaining 1 tablespoon each of balsamic and olive oil and mix well.  Add feta cheese and toss gently, then season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately or cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Tomato-Beet Salad

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound scrubbed small beets

• 2 pounds tomatoes, preferably heirloom

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes

• 1/4 cup crumbled feta

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• Salt and pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Seal beets in a foil packet. Roast on a rimmed baking sheet until tender, 75 minutes. When cool, rub beets with a paper towel to remove skins; slice.

2. Slice large tomatoes, and halve cherry tomatoes, then arrange with beets on a platter.

3. Top with feta, cilantro, and olive oil; season with salt and pepper.