Marinated Golden Beets Recipe

Prepare and roast beets

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Trim beet tops and roots, scrub well to remove dirt but keep skin intact. Wrap each beet separately in foil (or place all in a foil pouch) and roast on a sheet pan until tender when pierced with a knife, 45–60 minutes depending on size. Remove from oven and let cool until you can handle them.

Peel and slice beets

Once cool enough to handle, rub the skins off with a paper towel or peel with a small knife. Slice each beet into 1/4-inch (6 mm) rounds or wedges, keeping slices uniform for even marinating. Place slices in a shallow nonreactive dish or jar large enough to hold them in a single layer or two.

Make marinade

In a small saucepan combine 2 cups water, 1 cup white wine vinegar, 3 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tsp whole peppercorns, 1 bay leaf, and 1 peeled garlic clove. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes. Whisk in 3 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp lemon juice.

Marinate beets

Pour the cooled (but still slightly warm) marinade over the warm beet slices so they are mostly submerged. Press down with a plate if needed to keep them in the liquid. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, to let flavors develop. Bring to near room temperature before plating (about 20–30 minutes).

While beets roast or during marinating time, make whipped feta. Crumble the feta into a food processor. Add 2 tbsp Greek yogurt, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil. Process until very smooth and airy, scraping down sides as needed. If mixture is too thick, add up to 1–2 tsp water or extra olive oil to reach a soft, spreadable consistency. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to assemble.

Place 3 oz sultana raisins in a heatproof bowl. Pour 1 cup hot water over them and let sit 5 minutes to plump. Drain most of the water, reserving about 1 tbsp. Add 2 tbsp white wine vinegar, 1 tsp honey and a pinch of salt to the bowl with the plumped sultanas and the reserved tablespoon of soaking liquid. Stir and let sit at least 15 minutes to absorb the pickling flavors. Can be made several hours ahead and refrigerated.

Toast benne seeds: heat a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tsp benne seeds and toast, shaking the pan, until fragrant and lightly browned about 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Pick and lightly chiffonade basil and mint leaves. Keep whole leaves or tear large leaves into bite-size pieces for plating. Pat herbs dry so they don't add excess moisture.

Spread a spoonful (about 1–2 tbsp) of whipped feta on each serving plate or on a communal platter, making a smear with the back of a spoon.

Arrange marinated golden beet slices on top of and around the whipped feta in an attractive overlapping pattern.

Scatter pickled sultanas evenly over the beets to add sweet-tart pops.

Drizzle 1–2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil over the assembled dish, then sprinkle toasted benne seeds, flaky sea salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper over the top.

Finish with fresh basil and mint leaves tucked among the slices. If desired, add a small squeeze of lemon or a light sprinkle of lemon zest for brightness.

Serve at room temperature. Leftovers: keep beets and whipped feta refrigerated separately for up to 3 days; bring beets to room temperature before serving.