Roasted Beet + Radicchio Salad with Labneh

 

Note(s): If you are really not a fan of bitter greens, cut radicchio into quarters, rub a bit of olive oil on each wedge and grill for a few minutes. It will lessen the bitterness.

What is Labneh? It is a yogurt that has been drained and cultured overnight. It produces a thick, spreadable yogurt similar in texture to cream cheese.

 

Ingredients

For the labneh – makes about 1 cup

650g full fat or Greek yogurt

½ tsp salt

Zest from ½ lemon

 

For the dressing

1 shallot, thinly sliced

3 tbsp olive oil

Juice from ½ lemon

2 tsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp honey 

1 large garlic clove, minced

Pinch of salt and pepper

 

For the roasted beets

1 bunch (6 sm-med) beets, ends removed, peeled and cut into small, 1-2 inch wedges

1 tsp vegetable oil

Pinch of salt and pepper

 

For the salad

½ small head radicchio, washed and thinly sliced

½ cup dill, chopped

1 cup labneh

Roasted beets

 

For garnish: microgreens or shoots (optional)

 

Preparation

For the labneh

The night before you make the salad, you need to make the Labneh. Mix your yogurt with the ½ tsp salt. Scoop into a layered cheesecloth or a cotton care bag and hang somewhere with a bowl underneath. The goal of this is to drain as much liquid out overnight as possible so you want your cloth to have holes only big enough so that the liquid goes through and not the remaining yogurt protein. Once hanging, leave the labneh out for 12 – 24 hours to culture and strain. The next day it should be about ½ the volume and very thick. Take it out of the cloth and stir in the lemon zest. Set aside.

 

For the dressing

Whisk all ingredients into a small jar, then add shallots, stir, and set aside.

 

For the roasted beets

Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel and slice beets into wedges. Toss with 1 tsp vegetable oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until beets are well cooked but still have a little bit of crunch to them. Remove from the oven and let cool.

 

For the salad assembly

Divide labneh between plates and spread out using the back of a spoon. Layer shredded radicchio and beets. Drizzle with dressing, top with chopped dill and serve with any desired garnishes.

 

Enjoy!