Mutabbal Shamandar (Beet-Tahini Dip)

This beautiful jewel-toned dip has been one of my favorite items to share this season. I love that it is a little bit unusual and as a bonus is also dairy-free and gluten-free. Everyone has really enjoyed it! I also loved that it can be made in advance. 🙂

This recipe was adapted from Epicurious.com, contributed by Reem Assil. I modified the method and proportions. Assil notes that the dip “tastes even better when made a day ahead, giving all of the flavors a chance to meld.” Perfect for entertaining.

I served the dip with pita chips as well as sliced cucumbers and carrots. It would also be a lovely dip for radishes, crackers, and/or flatbread. The original recipe suggests serving it alongside other mutabbal dips, such as Delicious.

Yield: Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 pound red beets
1 tsp extra-extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed
freshly ground black pepper
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 jalapeño or serrano chile, stems, seeds, and veins removed, halved lengthwise
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed
1/4 tsp cumin seeds, toasted, or 1/8 tsp ground cumin
4 to 5 T tahini, to taste, plus more as needed
1/2 T coarsely chopped herbs, such as cilantro, dill, or fennel fronds for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400°F. (I set my oven to convection roast.)
Trim the beets and scrub well. (I reserve the beet greens for another use.)
Tear enough pieces of aluminum foil to tightly wrap each beet individually.
Place each beet on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. (I used about 1/2 tsp salt in this step.) Wrap tightly in the foil.
Place the foil-wrapped beets on a rimmed sheet pan; roast the beets in the oven for about 45 minutes if medium in size or up to 1 hour if large, until caramelized and tender (a knife or cake tester should go through them with little or no resistance).
Remove the beets from the oven and cool in the foil.
When cool enough to handle, remove the beets from the foil and rub the peels away. (I wear disposable gloves and use the foil to help coax the peel off.)
Coarsely chop the beets and place them in a food processor or blender. (I used a Vitamix.)
Add the garlic, chile, lemon juice, cumin, and the remaining teaspoon of salt and blend for about 3 to 5 minutes, until creamy and smooth.
Slowly drizzle in the tahini and continue blending until the tahini is fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Adjust the salt and lemon juice to taste.
If you want a thicker spread, blend in more tahini, 1 tablespoon at a time. (I used 5 tablespoons of tahini.)
When ready to serve, scoop the mixture onto a serving plate, drizzle it with the oil, and garnish it with the herbs.