A favorite vegetable in Morocco, the deep ruby beet is the star ingredient in this salad
(pictured on the bottom-right of page 96) as well as a delicious soup (see page 74). The
earthy sweetness of the beets in this dish is heightened with lemon juice and given an
herby freshness with parsley and cilantro. The salad will delight even those who rarely
eat beets.
BEET SALAD
WITH GREEN ONIONS
AND FRESH HERBS
SERVES 4
3 medium beets (about 11⁄4 lb/570 g)
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
4 green onions, trimmed and cut crosswise
into thin slices
Gently wash the beets but do not peel. To prevent
the beets from “bleeding” while cooking,
leave at least 1 in/2.5 cm of stems and do not
trim the root ends.
In a medium pot over high heat, add the
beets, cover with at least 2 in/5 cm of water, and
bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover,
and gently boil until the beets are tender and
a knife tip can easily penetrate them, about
45 minutes. Drain in a colander and let cool.
Peel or slip off the skins and discard. Cut
the beets into B⁄c- to D⁄e-in/12-mm to 2-cm cubes
and transfer to a salad bowl.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk the lemon juice
and olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Blend in the parsley, cilantro, and green onions.
Pour over the beets and then turn with a spoon
until coated. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour
before serving.