Sit Geleila: "Respected Lady" Salad

About a year ago, my father- and mother-in-law presented us with a wonderful assortment of vegetables pickled and canned by a local vendor from their home in Maine. Between the two of us, we buy more food than necessary,  so embarrassingly some of these treats remained buried in my pantry, whose disordered culinary copia would surely  would make me eligible for a televised intervention on Hoarders. 

Serves 6-8 or 1 Joanna 2 nights in a row

I was initially charmed by the charming translation of Sit Geleila, then further excited by the possibility of swapping the pickled turnips for beets given their similar flavor profile. Incidentally, beet juice is used for coloring in the traditional form of the recipe, so I wasn't straying too much from authenticity. 

Messy mise-en-place.

Sit Geleila is by far the best mezze I have made this year. There is something about how the nuttiness of the cumin complements the acidic twang of the onions and sweetness of the beets that makes it incredibly refreshing yet filling. This dish is one of the few that doesn't not benefit from extra olive oil because you really don't want the rich fats to overwhelm the simpler botanical flavors.  

A lovely lunch or main accompaniment.

Ingredients

• 14 ounces pickled turnips (or beets) chopped into small chunks

• 1 small onion chopped

• 2 teaspoons cumin, ground from fresh seeds

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Slice turnips or beets into bite-size chunks.

2. Add chopped onion, cumin, and olive oil. 

3. Mix vigorously to combine. Serve immediately if eating indoors or chill in the fridge a bit for al fresco celebrations.

Recipe: Mutabal Shawandar

I didn't have time this weekend to make anything complicated, but in truth even if I did have the extra hours, the excessively hot temperatures had me craving simple, cold foods.  Although at some point, I must try my hand at basic hummus, I was drawn to this recipe for its potential to yield a healthful cool dip robust in flavor as well as color. 

EXTREME BEET GARLIC CLOSE-UP

Syrian Cooking's ingredient list (garlic, canned or fresh beets, tahini, olive oil) is straight-forward as are the directions. I would add only that if you used canned beets, especially beet strings, the boiling process is not necessary. 

What is imperative is ample olive oil for creaminess and quality tahini, which provides wonderful nutty notes that balance the sweet botanical flavor of the beets and the tangy garlic.

I am not ashamed to say I ate much of my product with a spoon; however, pita toasts are probably more dignified.