Moroccan Beet Salad

Submitted by RSHDiva

"This is unusual and delicious. Made it for a special Moroccan Dinner for my gourmet group. The colors, the textures and the spices in the dressing make this a unique side dish. I served it with lamb tagine and couscous."

 

• Ready In: 45mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1⁄2 cup red wine vinegar or 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 3⁄4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 3⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• salt
• 4 1⁄2 medium-large beets, with green tops
• 1 1⁄2 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 3⁄8 cup fresh cilantro, cleaned well, stemmed and chopped
• salt and pepper

directions

1. To prepare dressing, combine first ten ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined. Makes about 3/4 cup dressing.
2. To prepare salad, wash beets well, being careful not to break open their skins. Cut off the tops, leaving a stalk of about 1 1/2 inches. Reserve green tops and set aside.
3. Place beets in a 3-quart sauce pan, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until a knife can be easily inserted and removed, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool in cooking water. Slip off the beef skins, trim off the tops and cut the beets into bite-size pieces.
4. Toss beets and tomatoes with 1/4 cup of the dressing. Set aside to marinate. Wash greens. Transfer greens with some water still clinging to the leaves, to a large pot over high heat. Cook, stirring, until just wilted but still bright green, about 4 minutes. Drain greens and squeeze out excess moisture. Cool slightly and chop coarsely. Transfer greens to a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the dressing and toss to coat. Season greens with salt and pepper. Arrange tomatoes and beets in the center of a platter and surround with greens. Garnish with cilantro. Pass remaining dressing separately.

Reviews

[Marietta Mary Lou]

Startlingly delicious! I used agave syrup in place of corn syrup, added onions and minced parsley, but did not use the beet greens. Marinating it for a day or so blends the flavors beautifully. Served with rosemary/garlic lamb chops and a rice melange, this recipe was THE STAR of the meal. It is a healthy dish to boot. This is one of my greatest finds recently. Thank you for sharing it!

 

[danwayneharris]

This recipe is amazing! I've made it several times. I don't have the corn syrup, but I add a bit of sugar and its still great. Also works without the greens, although if you have them, use them! I also like adding potatoes to the mix. Thanks RSHDiva for this awesome recipe!