Swine & Sea — Smoked Beets with Crème Fraîche and Herbs Salad — French Creole Recipe

Smoked Beets with Crème Fraîche and Herbs Salad

There has never been a beet I didn’t like. This Smoked Beets with Crème Fraîche and Herbs salad is a play on the classic beets and goat cheese salad. Smoking the beets at a low temperature allows the sugars in the beets to caramelize and concentrate. Countered with the tang that comes from crème fraîche and balance just comes to play. Beets can be a tough sell to some and if that’s the case, carrots work well with this recipe as well.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs.

    beets
  • olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tsp.

    Dijon mustard

  • 1 cup

    crème fraîche

  • 2 cups

    mixed herbs

  • ¼ cup

    pistachios , shelled and rough chopped
    Step 1

  • Prepare your smoker with hickory chips and maintaining at 250°.

    • Step 2

  • In the meantime, add the beets to a medium size mixing bowl. Lightly coat the beets with olive oil and season with Kosher salt and black pepper.

    • Step 3

  • Place the beets on the smoker and allow them to smoke until fork tender, around 2 hours.

    • Step 4

  • Remove the beets from the smoker and allow to cool. Peel the beets and cut in quarters and set aside.

    • Step 5

  • In another bowl, mix together the dijon mustard, crème fraîche and garlic.

    • Step 6

  • On a serving platter, spread the dressing across. Add the mixed herbs on top and then smoked beets. Add the toasted pistachios.