Pre-COVID, I was obsessed with the chilled pickled beet salad from my local shawarma joint. This is a slight attempt to recreate that in a low histamine way. I love all beets, but especially like the golden ones for their mellower flavor and lack of staining purple juice. Larger golden beets tend to be sweeter than smaller golden beets.
You’ll need:
2 large golden beets, peeled and quartered
1/2 Vidalia onion
1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1 cup cubed zucchini
2 tablespoons tahini paste
1 tablespoon white vinegar (optional – could be lemon or lime juice if you tolerate those instead)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 clove raw garlic, minced
1 tablespoon oil of choice
Hulled white sesame seeds for garnish
Salt
- In an instant pot, cover the bottom with two inches of water and insert the metal trivet. Place your quartered raw beets on top of the trivet but do not layer them, or they’ll cook unevenly.
- Close and seal your instant pot. Set it to pressure cook on high for 45 minutes, with a natural pressure release. Open and test your beets. They should be fork tender. If they’re not, reseal and cook for 10 more minutes.
- While your beets cook, sauté your onion and raw garlic in oil (I used olive) with a little salt. You want your onions to brown slightly, and when they begin to stick to the bottom of the pan, add a little water to loosen them, then let it boil off to help soften the zucchini. Remove from heat.
- Slice your beets into thick wedges or cubes and place them in a bowl.
- In a small separate bowl, make your dressing by mixing the tahini, garlic powder, salt, oil, vinegar and parsley. It’ll be a little pasty in consistency.
- Pour your dressing over your beets and toss to coat. If you want, sprinkle the raw sesame seeds overtop lightly. The warmth of the beets should help to melt and coat the sauce.
Post COVID Kitchen 