
I’ve mentioned this before on Instagram, but when I get bored I roast beets. When I get lazy I drizzle them with something sweet and sour like Honey Ridge Farms Balsamic Honey Vinegar and call the dish done. Beets shine when you amplify their sweet nature with something tangy. I appreciate the charisma of simply prepared roasted beets. I really do. But when I have the time (and inspiration) I like roasted beets with a little more chutzpah. Chutzpah is the new charisma. Roasted Beets with Yogurt, Apple, Cucumber, Jalapeno, and Dill have chutzpah.
You might think I’m being a little too persnickety. After all, aren’t charisma and chutzpah practically the same thing? I’d argue no, not really. Bill Clinton has plenty of old-school charisma, but Hillary Clinton has millennial, new-school chutzpah. As they say, women have to do it “backward and in heels”. Secretary/Senator/First Lady Clinton has maneuvered her “heels” far better than anyone in politics today. That takes chutzpah!
But we’re talking about roasted beets. As I said, when I’m in a rush I simply drizzle roasted beets with something acidic. Vinegar has just the right bite to sharpen beets’ sweetness. Likewise, a dollop of mustard or a spritz of lemon can bring out the earthiness in beets and will keep them from becoming too cloying. Add a few other assertive tastes and textures such as anchovies, capers, olives, and/or salty cheeses and you got a robust plate of Mediterranean flavors. There’s enough variation within these basic parameters to keep a simple dish of roasted beets interesting enough to be considered charismatic. Still, they don’t quite have the same resume as say Hillary Clinton.
So in an effort to do my beets “backward and in heels” I’ve decided to up my game.
Roasted Beets with Yogurt, Apple, Cucumber, Jalapeno, and Dill
When I thought about the possible combinations for roasted beets I had to force myself to look beyond the Mediterranean flavors I typically rely on. Google introduced me to the new (to me) combination of Roasted beets and yogurt seasoned with something pungent. It didn’t take me long to settle on a Martha Stewart-inspired combination of tangy yogurt, sweet apples, crunchy cucumbers, fiery jalapeno, and pungent dill. Flavors that, it seemed to me, could tame the sugar in beets and open up a whole new world of possibilities. The dish was just far enough outside the ordinary to give these roasted beets with yogurt enough chutzpah to become the leader of the free world. GREG

Gorgeous recipe, I really love the new approach with this old favourite. Golden beets are my favourite, don’t need gloves to handle, the day after isn’t an instant heart attack until you remember you ate red beets, plus the golden variety seem to be less earthy but equally as flavourful. Pairing them with the apples, cucumbers (so fresh) and the yogurt sounds wonderful. A perfect summertime salad, which by the way, we are finally enjoying warmer temperatures up here in the big smoke. We even ate lunch on the back patio today and dare I say, it may even have been a little too toasty in the sun, but oh so welcomed.
You can’t go wrong with roasted beet anything in my book. Love the combo.
I’ve been waiting for someone to mention politics on their blog. I just assumed it would come in the form of a T – rump roast. Love the salad. Love the chutzpah.
I am both on team Hilary and team Beets so I am 200% behind this
I’ve seen so many beet salads and they tend to be the same old stuff…this is so refreshingly different!
Love, love, love roasted beets and I miss buying them with you at the Hollywood Farmer’s Market. 🙁 This recipe looks delicious and is far more ambitious than I usually get with roasted beets. I’m like the lazy side of you.
Even if you’d gone with a Beety Sanders salad, I still think I would like it.