Beets Please!

Every country has its own unique take of serving street food.  So much can be learned about a country’s food culture from their street food.  Growing up in Iran, I remember loving the street food whether it was a healthy version or a junk food.  One of the most popular street foods is warm boiled beets cooked in huge vats – an absolute favorite.  Some people actually prefer to buy boiled beets from the street vendors, then bring it home and dress it for their parties. 

Boiled Beets Sold on Streets of Iran

I remember how my mother used to make these delicious salads or condiments using beets.  One in particular was dressed in vinegar, olive oil with salt and pepper.  Another was to mix the boiled/cooked beet with plain yogurt, salt and pepper.  Since my husband is a huge fan of beets, I try to prepare a beet salad as often as I can. 

Boiling beets can be a messy job, but I’ve learned to prepare it so that my kitchen won’t end up with purple polka dots all over!  Wash the beets really well (with a soft brush if you can or a clean sponge).  Put them in a pot with some water; let them simmer with the lid on for a couple of hours until you can easily stick your fork in it (you really need to be careful so that the entire water won't evaporate - you might end up with a burnt pot and a very bad smell).  Then let them cool for about 15-20 minutes.  Put your kitchen gloves on, grab a paper towel and gently rub on the surface of the beet trying to take the peel off.  Once you do this, there will be no mess what so ever.  Then you can slice, dice or cut it however you want.  I usually marinate the beets in extra virgin olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt and pepper.  Then put them in a container with a lid on and refrigerate for at least a few hours up to five days.  You can serve them over your salad or just with toasted walnuts and Labne (or goat cheese) for an appetizer.

Marinated Boiled Beets with Toasted Walnuts & Goat Cheese

Note: I use sherry vinegar since it has more acidity and I really like the flavor.  I find that it’s a nice compliment to the sweet beets and balances the flavors.  You can definitely substitute with red or white wine vinegar.  I don’t recommend balsamic since it’s sweeter and stronger in taste.

[Beets are called "Laboo = لبو" in Farsi.]
[Labne is strained yogurt or yogurt cheese.]

Happy Saturday eve everyone :)