The Royal Chef At Home: Easy Seasonal Entertaining

BEETS WITH PAPAYA, GREEK YOGURT, PECANS & HONEY

ONE OF MY FAVORITE RESTAURANTS IN NEW YORK IS ABC KITCHEN. FRESH, ORGANIC AND LOCAL PRODUCE MAKE IT A “MUST VISIT” FOR ME EVERY TIME I AM IN THE BIG APPLE. They have a salad on the menu of roasted beets with homemade yogurt that is to die for. The first time I ate it I couldn’t wait to get back to my kitchen to create my own twist on the dish. I love stirring the yogurt into the beets creating a purple cream that makes me feel like a child playing with food. MAKES 4 PORTIONS

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons honey ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons roughly chopped dill ¼ cup chopped pecans (toasted) 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (toasted)

1 If you have a sous-vide machine cook the beets for one hour at 185ºF. Cool, wipe off the skin with paper towel and cut into bite size pieces. Conventionally, place the beets in cold water (you must cook the red and gold beets in separate pans) Bring to the boil and simmer for about an hour or until the beets are tender when a knife is inserted. Cool the beets in cold water, remove the skin with paper towel and cut into bite size pieces. 2 large golden beets 2 large red beets 2 cups papaya peeled, seeds removed and cut into bite size pieces 1 cup Greek yogurt 4 cups baby arugula or spinach

2 In individual salad bowls spoon about ¼ cup of Greek yogurt. Arrange the beets and papaya pieces on top of the yogurt. Divide the arugula or spinach between the four salad bowls on top of the beets. Drizzle the vinegar, honey and olive oil on the leaves. Garnish with the dill, pecans and cumin seeds and serve.

212 THE ROYAL CHEF AT HOME