Recipe (Re)creation: Crushed Beets with Greek Yogurt + Herbs

I came across this lovely crushed beets recipe in my June edition of Bon Appetit.  I fell in love with the combination of greek yogurt, lemon zest, herbs and perfectly roasted beets.  I just made a few changes and added toasted hazelnuts and a drizzle of balsamic reduction at the end.  Otherwise, I stayed pretty true to the original recipe. This is one dish I will be adding to the regular repertoire for sure!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. small or medium beets
• 5 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. lemon zest
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 2 tbsp. freshly torn dill
• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
• Maldon sea salt & pepper
• 2 tbsp. toasted hazelnuts
• Balsamic reduction

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with tin foil.

-Place scrubbed beets on the foil and drizzle with 1/2 tbsp oil.

-Season with salt and paper and wrap the foil around the beets.

-Roast beets for 40-50 minutes, depending on their size.

-Let cool, remove the skins of the beets with a paper towel and crush.

-Meanwhile, whisk the lemon zest, juice and 2 tbsp. oil in a bowl and set aside. 

-Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a large skillet, add beets, and season with salt and pepper.

-Cook the beets until browned, about 4 minutes on each side. 

-Transfer the beets to the bowl with the vinaigrette and toss.

-Add the mint, dill, and hazelnuts to the bowl and mix.  

-Add the remaining 1/2 tbsp. oil, and sprinkle with Maldon sea salt and pepper. 

-Serve with dollops of greek yogurt and a hefty drizzle of balsamic reduction.

Restaurant (Re)creation: The Plant Veggie Burger

~ From top: my (re)creation partially assembled, (re)creation fully assembled,
(re)creation in loving hands of a devoted taster~

This is one of my all-time favorite (re)creations.  I have been known to order this burger from The Plant Café multiple times/week and it never disappoints! It isn't the quickest recipe, but you can make a bunch of the patty "mix" in advance and refrigerate or freeze the rest for later.  My version is based on this recipe but I made a few important time-saving and flavor-enhancing changes.  The first time I made the burger, it was a little bland so I added garlic and a little cumin powder.  I also soaked the bulgar and lentils in hot water so they only had to soak for 20 minutes (as opposed to 4 hours!).  Last but not least, I added lots of fun toppings like caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, goat cheese and sliced avocado. Delicious!

*Disclaimer: this dish is crumbly and VERY messy to eat- maybe not the best choice for a date ; ) *

Serving Size: 6 burgers

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quick cooking bulgar (soaked in hot water)
1/2 cup red lentils (soaked in hot water)
1/2 cup roasted cashews (crushed to a powder)
2 cups beets, washed
8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, peeled and diced
2 tsp. sea salt
4 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp cumin

Optional Toppings:

Toasted whole grain bread
Sliced avocado
Goat cheese
Sautéed Mushrooms
Sautéed Onions

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Meanwhile, soak lentils and bulgar in a small amount of hot water for (20+ minutes).

Bake beets for 45 minutes, or until tender.  Let cool before peeling and dicing beets (this can be done in advance or be substituted for pre-cooked beets).

In a skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and sauté the mushrooms and garlic over medium heat.

Drain the bulgar and lentils to remove any excess water.

Combine the beets, bulgar, lentils, cashew powder, mushrooms, garlic, cumin and salt in the food processor.  Pulse a few times until chunks are gone.

Form the mixture into patties and pack tightly (it can help to refrigerate the patties briefly).

Heat the remaining olive oil and and sauté burgers in a skillet or grill pan, carefully flipping once.

Place burgers on the toasted bread (or over a bed of greens) and top with the toppings of your choice.

Enjoy!

The Plant Café
3353 Steiner St.
San Francisco
(415) 931-2777
www.theplantcafe.com