Ease of Preparation: Medium
Yield: 4-6, as an appetizer
Salt-Baked Yellow Beets with Crispy Rye
Roasting beets in a salt crust makes them sweet, tender, and jewel-like. Pair these beets with creamy, whipped goat cheese, bright dill oil and toasted rye berries for a dish fit for royalty!
Ingredients:
Salt-Baked Yellow Beets:
- 12 egg whites
- 10 cups (2.4 L) salt
- ¼ cup (60 ml) thyme leaves
- ¼ cup (60 ml) rosemary leaves
- 2 pounds (907 grams) medium-sized yellow beets, scrubbed
Whipped Goat Cheese:
- 10 ounces (283 grams) goat cheese
- ¼ cup (60 ml) plain yogurt
- ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk
- ½ lemon, juice only
- Salt
Dill Oil:
- 8 ounces (227 grams) dill sprigs
- 2 cups (470 ml) vegetable oil
Crispy Rye Berries:
- 1 cup (240 ml) rye berries
- Water, for boiling
- Salt
- Olive oil, for frying
Method:
For the Salt-Baked Yellow Beets:
Preheat the oven to 400 F (205 C).
In a large bowl, combine the egg whites, salt, thyme leaves, and rosemary leaves. Mix well, using your hands or a spatula, until well combined and the mixture has the texture of wet sand.
Pat a thin layer of the salt mixture onto a rimmed baking tray. Place the beets on the tray, covering each one with a layer of the salt mixture. Ensure that there are no cracks or holes.
Bake the beets on the middle rack of the oven until the salt crust is a deep golden brown and the beets are tender when checked with a knife, roughly 45-50 minutes.
Allow the beets to cool slightly on the tray, 5-10 minutes before cracking and peeling away the salt crust.
Peel the skins from the beets while still warm.
Set the beets aside.
For the Whipped Goat Cheese:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the goat cheese, yogurt, milk, and lemon juice.
Using the whisk attachment, whip the mixture until fluffy, smooth, and light, 2-3 minutes.
Season with salt and refrigerate until needed.
For the Dill Oil:
In the jug of a high-powered blender, combine the dill and oil. Blend on high speed until homogenous, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Pour the oil into a small saucepan and heat until the oil separates, roughly 325 F (160 C).
Stop the cooking immediately by setting the pan over ice.
Once cool, strain the oil through a fine mesh strainer.
Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until needed.
For the Crispy Rye Berries:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
Add the rye berries and cook until tender, about 25 minutes.
Drain and pat dry.
Heat fry oil in a heavy pan over medium-high heat to 350 F (175 C).
Fry the cooked rye berries until crisp, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and keep warm.
To Complete:
Pop the beets back into the oven for a few minutes to warm through.
Spread a layer of the whipped goat cheese onto a serving platter.
Mound some of the rye berries onto the goat cheese. Toss the warmed beets in a drizzle of dill oil and arrange on top of the rye berries. Drizzle with additional dill oil and serve immediately.