I love beetroot. I can’t remember which author it was who taught me to bake instead of boil it. It was many years ago and I don’t think I ever boiled beetroot since. The great thing about baking beetroot is that you avoid any wateriness which makes a difference when you are using them to make a dip like the one below which I learned a few years ago in Aleppo, at Maria’s, the lady chef who does the cookery demonstrations on my culinary tours — not happening this spring because of the revolution!

It is also beautiful, from the moment you unwrap the baked beetroot to peel it (as you can see from the picture above) to when you mix the purée with the tahini and lemon juice and watch the colour change from a deep purple to a beautiful pink. And it is delicious, provided you don’t kill the subtle earthy flavour of the beetroot with too much tahini, lemon juice and/or garlic. After I took the pictures today, not quite able to control the slight flare at the top of the photograph, I decided to go on a serious photography course as soon as I finish my book and various other commitments. I may even take a film course. Perhaps when I am finished, I will have enough time left to embark on a third career!

Beetroot Dip

Serves 6

600 g beetroots

1/3 cup tahini

1 garlic clove, crushed

juice of 1 1/2 lemons, or to taste

sea salt

for garnish

extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 220º C.

2. Gently wash the beetroots and cut the excess stalks but without cutting into the beetroot. You do not want it to bleed during baking. Wrap each beetroot with aluminium foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake the beetroot for 1 1/2 hours, or until very soft.

3. Remove the beetroot from the oven onto a large chopping board. Unwrap, peel. place in the bowl of a food processor. Add the tahini, garlic clove and lemon juice and process until you have a smooth puree. Transfer to a mixing bowl. add salt to taste and more lemon juice or tahini if you feel the dip needs it. Spread on a serving platter, making grooves here and there. Drizzle a little olive oil in the grooves and sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serve with good bread.

© Anissa Helou

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I love beetroot. I can’t remember which author it was who taught me to bake instead of boil it. It was many years ago and I don’t think I ever boiled beetroot since. The great thing about baking beetroot is that you avoid any wateriness which makes a difference when you are using them to make a dip like the one below which I learned a few years ago in Aleppo, at Maria’s, the lady chef who does the cookery demonstrations on my culinary tours — not happening this spring because of the revolution!

It is also beautiful, from the moment you unwrap the baked beetroot to peel it (as you can see from the picture above) to when you mix the purée with the tahini and lemon juice and watch the colour change from a deep purple to a beautiful pink. And it is delicious, provided you don’t kill the subtle earthy flavour of the beetroot with too much tahini, lemon juice and/or garlic. After I took the pictures today, not quite able to control the slight flare at the top of the photograph, I decided to go on a serious photography course as soon as I finish my book and various other commitments. I may even take a film course. Perhaps when I am finished, I will have enough time left to embark on a third career!

Beetroot Dip

Serves 6

600 g beetroots

1/3 cup tahini

1 garlic clove, crushed

juice of 1 1/2 lemons, or to taste

sea salt

for garnish

extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 220º C.

2. Gently wash the beetroots and cut the excess stalks but without cutting into the beetroot. You do not want it to bleed during baking. Wrap each beetroot with aluminium foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake the beetroot for 1 1/2 hours, or until very soft.

3. Remove the beetroot from the oven onto a large chopping board. Unwrap, peel. place in the bowl of a food processor. Add the tahini, garlic clove and lemon juice and process until you have a smooth puree. Transfer to a mixing bowl. add salt to taste and more lemon juice or tahini if you feel the dip needs it. Spread on a serving platter, making grooves here and there. Drizzle a little olive oil in the grooves and sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serve with good bread.

© Anissa Helou

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