Roasted
Beet Puree
(appetizer
for about 8)
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Wrap in foil and roast until soft (about
an hour): |
| 3 - 4 |
|
medium-sized beets, washed,
trimmed, and cut in half |
| 2 |
|
cloves garlic |
| 6 |
|
allspice berries |
| 6 |
|
cloves |
| 1 |
t |
coriander seed |
| 2 |
T |
olive oil, drizzled over everything |
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Unwrap and puree all that with: |
| 1 |
t |
salt |
| 1/4 |
t |
white pepper |
| 1/2 |
c |
lightly toasted walnuts |
| 2-4 |
T |
walnut or olive oil |
| 4-8 |
T |
white wine (just enough oil and
wine so it blends smooth) |
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Serve with fresh crusty bread for dipping. |
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Notes &
Variations:
-
This recipe was adapted from The Georgian
Feast, by Darra Goldstein (University of California Press, 1999).
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Use golden beets for an extraordinarily delicate
flavor.
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Grinding the spices into the puree gives it
a sweet, rich taste. For a more savory approach, add a couple of
bay leaves into the roasting mixture, but discard all the spices before
pureeing.
-
Alex, from Venezuela, says his mother blends
a cooked beet with half an onion and some olive oil for a warm sauce to
serve with fish or poultry.
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