Serving sweet, roasted colorful beets served on a bed of celery root puree is one example of the way chef Tamika Francis makes a dish that is so flavorful, yet simple and approachable.
Roasted Beet Salad with Celery Root Puree and Pea Shoots
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds golden and/or red baby beets (about 12)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus additional for serving
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 2 small celery root (about 2 pounds), peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1 large handful (about 2 ounces) pea shoots
- ¼ cup (lightly packed) parsley leaves
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced crosswise
- ⅓ cup roasted sunflower seeds
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Place beets on a small baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to oven and roast until tender when pierced with a tip of a pairing knife, about 1 hour. Shake pan once or twice during roasting for even cooking. When just cool enough to handle, rub skins with a paper towel to remove. Discard skins and cut beets crosswise into ½-inch rounds. Transfer to a bowl, drizzle with additional 1 tablespoon olive oil and sherry vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, place celery root, milk, water, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and reduce heat to maintain a brisk simmer. Cook, covered, until celery root is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove thyme sprigs. Using a slotted spoon, transfer celery root to blender. Add half of cooking liquid and begin to blend, adding more cooking liquid as necessary to create a thick puree. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return to pot if not eating immediately and gently rewarm over low heat when ready to serve.
To serve, divide celery root puree among serving plates. Top with beets, pea shoots, parsley leaves, and scallions, and scatter with sunflower seeds. Drizzle again with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and serve.
