Roasted Beet Caviar

If you've always hated beets, you're a lot like me: my mom had to nearly forcefeed me when homegrown beets were on the menu for dinner. Luckily, my husband and children didn't like them either, so beets were a non-issue in our household.

Then Joe and I went to Russian Tea Time restaurant in Chicago.

Among the many wonderful things they served us on the tasting platter, there were two versions of beets: a beet caviar spread, and an interesting beet-apple-pea vinaigrette salad. These were an amazing revelation into the reason why so many Eastern European and Russian peoples love the beet. Maybe this recipe will make a beet-eater out of you, too.

Ingredients
4 fresh beets
2 garlic cloves
2/3 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
2 tablespoons lowfat yogurt, plain
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
Salt and black pepper to taste


Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove paper from garlic cloves, place them on a roasting pan, and brush with olive oil. Scrub beets, place on the roasting pan, and roast in oven until fork-tender. The garlic will be tender in approximately 30-45 minutes, the beets in 60-90 minutes. Let cool.

Peel beets; finely chop beets and garlic and place in a bowl. Stir in all other ingredients. Marinate 6 hours in refrigerator, then serve at room temperature or slightly chilled. Spread on crackers or toasted bread, or serve as a side salad/garnish.