Caraway Roasted Beets & Tahini Sauce

People tend to either love beets or hate them, but I'm most definitely in the 'love' camp! This dish makes a delicious little side as part of a Middle-Eastern feast, but is equally tasty on its own served with crusty bread or flatbreads and a green salad.

I roast my beetroot the same way every time, occasionally adding other flavours such as caraway, fennel, or coriander seeds.

If you can‘t get hold of any cress, then another peppery salad leaf like rocket will be delicious too. You can also halve the Tahini Sauce recipe used here, and you'll still have enough – however, I like to make lots so I can use it for other things throughout the week.

SERVES:
4

Ingredients
Instructions

Ingredients

200g baby beets (or regular if you can't find baby)

1 heaped tsp caraway seeds

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp salt

Good grinding of black pepper

1 batch of Tahini Sauce

Handful of cress or rocket (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/Gas 4.
Rinse the beetroot under cold water and place it on a large piece of foil on a baking tray. Sprinkle with the caraway seeds, and wrap into an airtight parcel.
Roast the beetroot for about 30-40mins. Larger-sized beets will need a bit longer – they're ready when a knife slides in easily.
While they're cooking make up a batch of Tahini Sauce.
When the beets are ready, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool while still wrapped up.
When they're cool enough to handle, carefully push the skins off – they should come away very easily – and place the skinned beets in a bowl, along with any juices at the bottom of the foil bag. If you've roasted larger beets, cut them into halves or quarters.
Add the apple cider vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Check for seasoning, and add more seasoning to taste.
Cover the bowl and set it aside until you're ready to serve.
If you're serving this as part of a spread, add a good few spoonfuls of tahini to a large plate and top with the beets, some of their juices, and the cress or rocket, if using. Alternatively, serve on individual plates with a little cress and rocket, and some crusty bread on the side.