D is for Dinner: chefs meet beet challenge

Each month, All In A Day listeners get to suggest an ingredient, method or theme for chefs to tackle in the D is for Dinner Challenge.

This month, Julia wrote: "One vegetable I like a lot is beet, but other than boiling it or eating it in a salad, I am not sure what else I can make with it."

So, the challenge to three returning D Is For Dinner guests: What can you do with beets that involves no boiling and no salads?

Sunna Na from The Swan in Carp made a beet pancake with beet tzatziki. Devin Marhue of The Urban Element created a ginger and fig golden beet loaf with whipped goat's milk cheese. And Angie Reshitnyk from the Capital Ukrainian Festival crafted a beet halusky.

Here are their recipes, just in time for the Capital Ukrainian Festival, which starts Thursday on the grounds of the St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Shrine at 952 Green Valley Crescent.

For more info visit capitalukrainianfestival.com.

Ginger and fig golden beet loaf

Ingredients and method:

• 3 cups grated yellow beets.    
• 2 cups granulated sugar, divided.               
• Unsalted butter, for greasing pan.    
• 2 cups all-purpose flour.     
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt.     
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger.     
• 1 teaspoon baking powder.     
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. 
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated nutmeg. 
• 3 tablespoons poppy seeds. 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped candied ginger.
• 1/3 cup chopped dried fig.
• 3 large eggs. 
• Grated zest of 2 large lemons. 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil.

For the goat's milk cheese cream: 

• 1 cup goat's cheese.
• 1/3 cup cream cheese.
• 2 tablespoons honey.
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme.
• 1/4 cup 35 per cent cream.
• 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds.
• 1 fig thinly sliced.

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a small mixing bowl, mix the grated beets with 1/4 cup sugar.
2. Butter the loaf pan, line with parchment paper, leaving some to hang over the sides, and butter the parchment.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, poppy seeds, dried figs, and chopped ginger.
4. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 3/4 cups sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla until well blended. Beat in the olive oil gradually, whisking it in until it's thoroughly incorporated.
5. Using a spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until well incorporated, with no remaining white spots. Working with a handful of beets at a time, use your hands to wring out all of the excess moisture. When all of the beets have been pressed, add it to the batter, and stir it in gently until evenly incorporated.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 80 to 85 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
7. Cool the bread in the pan for about 20 minutes. When the loaf is cooled, slice the loaf into 1 inch-thick slices.
8. To make the goat's cheese cream: Place the goat cheese, cream cheese, thyme and honey into a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Whip the cheese until light and fluffy. Turn the speed to low and pour in the 35 per cent cream. Continue to whip until all the cream is incorporated.
9. Spread the cream over the loaf slices and sprinkle on the pumpkin seeds. Garnish the loaf with the thinly sliced fig and serve.

Yields one 9-inch loaf.

Beet potato halusky 

Ingredients and method:

• 2 cups hot mashed potatoes.
• 1 egg, beaten.
• 2 medium roasted beets.
• 1 1/2 cups flour (or more).
• Salt and pepper to taste.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and roast the beets in their skin until you can pierce it smoothly with a sharp knife. Cool under cold water and remove skin. Quarter the beets.
2. Combine all the ingredients and season to taste with the salt and pepper. Place the mixture on a floured board and shape into 1/2 inch-long rolls. Cut into 1 inch lengths. Don't overwork the dough and make sure your hands are coated in flour. The shapes looks similar to Italian gnocchi.
3. Cook in salted boiling water until the dumplings float to the top. Give it another minute, then using a strainer scoop them out of the water and place them in a bowl with butter.
4. Serve them with your favourite sauce or with some sour cream.

Beet pancake and beet tzatziki

Ingredients and method:

• 2 cups shredded potato.
• 1/2 cup shredded beet.
• 1/2 cup shredded onion.
• 1 cup flour.
• 1 teaspoon salt.
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Mix together and pan fry. (Makes 20 bite-sized pancakes)

For the beet tzatziki:

• 1 cup Greek yogurt. 
• 1 cup poached and finely diced beet.
• 2 cloves of finely shredded garlic.
• 1 tablespoon Lemon juice.
• 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill. 
• 1 teaspoon salt.
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper. 

Mix all ingredients together.