This one is wacky - but I love beets. They grow in abundance in colder climates and I’m always willing to treat them with the respect they deserve.
I used 3 beets for this recipe. This yielded enough for a meal of beet halloumi toast as well as leftovers for a quick addition to a salad. I made romaine, pickled and cured beets paired with a creamy dressing. Blessings to the beets.
Smoky Cured Beets
3 beets, trimmed, peeled, rinsed and dried.
Leaving whole, coat the beets in olive oil. 2 tbsp or more.
To a spice grinder mortar and pestle, add
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pickling spice
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chipotle pepper
Using a plate as your base, heavily and evenly coat the beets in your curing spice blend.
Place whole beets in an airtight container, in the fridge, for a minimum of 4 hours, up to 24 hours.
When ready to cook, preheat oven to 375°C.
Once ready, tightly wrap each beet in foil, place on an oven tray.
Roast beets for 1.5 hours.
Let cool. Use a mandolin to thinly slice the beets.
Toast bread, add butter.
Grill halloumi in a medium-high heat pan with a bit of oil, cooking each side for 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
Assemble with dill and devour.