Charred Beet Salad

By lorik

Ingredients

• 3 large red beets, scrubbed clean
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water (if roasting beets)
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
• 1/4 cup plus 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, divided
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 ounces radicchio, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh tarragon

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from cooksscience.com

Preparation

Step 1

If cooking sous vide: Use sous vide device to heat water bath to 190.5 degrees F/88 degrees C.

If roasting: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees F/191 degrees C. 

If cooking sous vide: Toss beets, oil, vinegar, 9 grams salt, and 2 grams pepper in large bowl to combine. Transfer beets and liquid to 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Press out as much air as possible from bag and seal. Gently lower bag into water bath, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag (do not let go of bag). Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air pockets, and seal bag fully. Clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, making sure beets are fully submerged. Cover water bath with plastic wrap to limit evaporation. Cook for 4 hours. Using tongs, carefully remove bag from water bath; check beets by squeezing them through bag, they should give slightly. Open bag and pour cooking liquid in bag into medium bowl (you should have about ½ cup). Set beets aside until cool enough to handle. Peel beets and cut into ½-inch-thick rounds. 

If roasting: Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Toss beets, oil, water, vinegar, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in large bowl to combine. Stack 2 10-inch-square pieces aluminum foil and press into large bowl so that foil forms bowl shape. Arrange beets in single layer in center of foil and pour liquid over top. Bring edges of foil together and crimp to form tightly sealed packet. Transfer packet to prepared rack and bake until beets can be easily pierced with paring knife or cake tester, 1 to 1½ hours for small beets and 1½ to 2½ hours for medium to large beets. Open foil packet and pour cooking liquid into medium bowl (you should have about ½ cup). Set beets aside until cool enough to handle. Peel beets and cut into ½-inch-thick rounds. 

Combine feta and ¼ cup Greek yogurt in small bowl and mix with fork to form coarse spread, about 30 seconds; refrigerate until ready to serve. Stir remaining ¼ cup Greek yogurt into beet cooking liquid until combined. 

Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until just smoking. Carefully transfer beets to skillet in single layer. Cook beets until both sides are well charred, 5 to 7 minutes, flipping beets halfway through. Transfer beets to cutting board and cut into 1½-inch pieces; transfer to bowl with yogurt-beet dressing. 

Add radicchio to bowl with beets and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread yogurt-feta mixture in even layer on large serving plate. Arrange beets and radicchio on top, then sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, dill, and tarragon. Serve.