Warm Greek Beet Salad with Garlic-Potato Skordalia

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The taverna classic done properly: whole beets roasted until a knife slides through, peeled while still warm and dressed straight away with red wine vinegar and grassy olive oil so they drink it up. The greens get wilted and folded in — they're half the dish in Greece — and everything is spooned alongside a thick garlic-potato skordalia for dragging through. Roast the beets a day ahead and it's a ten-minute assembly.

Ingredients

• 2 lb beets with greens attached (about 4 medium)
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for roasting
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp kosher salt, for the greens water

• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, the best you have
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1/2 tsp dried Greek oregano
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

• 1 lb russet potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 3 clove garlic
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/3 cup blanched slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp cold water, plus more as needed

• 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
• flaky sea salt
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

• 2 oz feta, crumbled (omit to keep it vegan)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Cut the greens and stems off the beets, leaving about 1 inch of stem on each beet, and don't trim the root tail. Wash the greens well in a sink of cold water and set aside. Scrub the beets.
2. Toss the beets with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon kosher salt, pile them in a small baking dish or on a doubled sheet of foil, add 2 tablespoons water, and cover tightly with foil. Roast 50 to 70 minutes, until a paring knife slides into the center of the largest beet with no resistance. Leave them covered for 10 minutes — the steam loosens the skins.
3. While the beets roast, make the skordalia. Put the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold water by an inch, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer 15 to 18 minutes, until completely tender. Drain and let them steam dry in the hot pan off the heat for 2 minutes.
4. Pound the 3 garlic cloves with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a mortar until pasty, then add the almonds and pound to a coarse meal (or pulse garlic, salt and almonds in a food processor). Scrape into a medium bowl.
5. Pass the hot potatoes through a ricer or mash them very smooth with a fork or masher — never a food processor, which turns them gluey. Add them to the garlic-almond mixture while hot.
6. Beat the skordalia with a wooden spoon, drizzling in the 1/2 cup olive oil a little at a time, then the 2 tablespoons vinegar and 2 tablespoons cold water. You want a thick, spoonable dip like soft hummus; add water a teaspoon at a time if it's stiff. Taste and add salt and vinegar until it's assertively garlicky and bright. Cover and hold at room temperature.
7. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Cut the beet stems into 2-inch lengths and boil them 3 minutes, then add the leaves and cook 2 minutes more, until silky. Drain well, press out excess water gently, and chop coarsely.
8. Whisk the dressing: red wine vinegar, 1/3 cup olive oil, grated garlic, oregano, 3/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper.
9. As soon as the beets are cool enough to handle but still warm, rub off the skins with a paper towel (wear gloves if you mind pink hands). Trim the stem and root ends and cut into 3/4-inch wedges or rounds.
10. Put the warm beets in a bowl, pour over two-thirds of the dressing, and toss. Let them sit 10 minutes — warm beets absorb the vinegar instead of shedding it. Toss the wilted greens with the remaining dressing in a separate bowl.
11. Spread the skordalia across a platter in a thick swoosh. Pile the greens to one side, spoon the beets and their pink juices over and around, and scatter with parsley, flaky salt and the feta if using. Serve just warm or at room temperature with lemon wedges.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

Dark Roux Seafood Gumbo with Quick Shrimp Stock

One-Skillet Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

Char-Grilled Oysters with Garlic-Worcestershire Butter

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem