Raw Beet Relish

This past Saturday was my second live cooking demo of the summer at the Litchfield Hills Farm Fresh Market. It was gorgeous day and I definitely surprised some folks with my recipe for Raw Beet Relish. But really, how can you resist this pink-tinted delight?! Here’s the recipe.Raw Beet Relish
Makes 2-4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw beets, grated
• 2 cups radishes, grated
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or dill or mint or oregano), chopped
• ¼ cup scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon honey
• salt (to taste)

Directions

1. Trim the greens from the beets leaving a small portion of the stems to act as a handle when grating. Scrub the beet roots.
2. Grate the beets and add put them into a medium sized bowl.
3. Trim and scrub the radishes. Grate the radishes and add them to the beets.
4. Add a pinch of salt and stir together. Set aside.
5. In a small bowl whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, honey and pinch of salt.
6. Pour the dressing over the vegetables. Mix until everything looks nicely coated with the dressing.
7. Slice the scallions and sprinkle the pieces over the top of the relish.
8. Chop the fresh dill and sprinkle over the relish.
9. Finally, sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds on top and serve.

NOTE: Beets can be messy but are worth it! You just may want to wear gloves when handling them as well as an apron.

Alternatives

• This makes a wonderful side salad but it’s also terrific over grilled meats like pork, chicken or sausages.
• Mix it up! Swap the radishes for kohlrabi or go extra sweet by adding some carrots.