Beet Dip with Goat Cheese & Hazelnuts
Za’atar is a middle eastern spice mix that is often used as a grilled bread topping. Ask at the store if you have a hard time finding it, or buy it online.
Here, renowned Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi mixes za’atar with a puree of beets and greek yogurt for a vivid, silky dip. We appreciate that hat tip to Vermont’s favorite local sweetener, maple syrup.
Ingredients
- 6 medium beets trimmed
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 small red chile seeded, minced
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp za'atar
- 1/4 cup hazelnuts roasted, skinned, & chopped
- 2 Tbsp crumbled goat cheese
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- salt to taste
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the beets in a small roasting pan with ½ inch of water. Cover tightly with foil and bake 1 hour, or until tender.
Let cool slightly and slip the peels off. Cut the beets into wedges and transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Add the garlic, chile and yogurt,
and pulse until blended. Add the oil, maple syrup, and za’atar and puree until smooth. Season with salt. Transfer to a wide, shallow bowl. Scatter the toasted hazelnuts, goat cheese, and scallions on top.
Enjoy warm with toasted bread.