The Choi of Roasted Beets with Chili Crisp, Cilantro, and Lime
The beet goes on.
And on and on in this inspired dish that’s a pure powerhouse of flavors that lingers devilishly on the palate.
“Roasted Beets with Chili Crisp, Cilantro, and Lime” is sweet, spicy, earthy, acidic and full of umami, and sure to make even an avowed beet hater change their tune.
This easy recipe is from the new “The Choi of Cooking” (Clarkson Potter), of which I received a review copy.
With a title like that, it could have been written only by Roy Choi, the South Korea-born chef who made a colossal splash in Los Angeles with his Kogi BBQ that ignited the food truck craze.
The James Beard Award-winning chef also owns Tacos Por Vida in Los Angeles, and the Chef Truck and Best Friend at the Park MGM in Las Vegas. He is also the recipient of multiple Emmy awards for “Broken Bread,” his documentary series that showcases food entrepreneurs who are making a difference in their communities.
He wrote the cookbook with Tien Ngyuen, a veteran cookbook co-author in Los Angeles, and Natasha Phan, business partner in all of Choi’s ventures.
You might be surprised that this emphatically vegetable-forward cookbook is from a chef long known for his boldly flavored, gut-busting Korean-style tacos, burritos, and quesadillas.
But like so many of us who have gotten older, Choi learned that he couldn’t treat his body the way he did in his 20s. That meant no more wolfing down whole pizzas, eight portions of soba noodles at a time, limitless bundles of Red Vines, and can upon can of SpaghettiOs, all of which had ballooned his frame to more than 200 pounds. That also meant no more drugs and gambling, which added to his impulsive behavior.
He began to change up his cooking by upping his use of vegetables, decreasing his reliance on meat, and adding in more herbs and aromatics. He not only saw the pounds melt away, but unsurprisingly began to feel both stronger and more energetic.
Because this is a Roy Choi cookbook, you can be assured that the recipes are full of punch and playfulness. There’s no fear of coming across anything bland, not with the likes of savory “Carrot Pancakes” served with a gochugaru dip, “Tuna Salad Nicoise Bibimbap” (the classic French salad turned into a rice bowl); “Hawaiian-Style Garlic Shrimp,” and “Black Pepper Taiwanese-Style Pork Chops.”
For the beets, just roast them until tender. Then, peel and cut into chunks.
Stir together an easy dressing that gets bright herby notes from thyme, Thai basil, and cilantro, plus a lovely floral touch from lemongrass. Lime zest and lime juice give it perkiness. Rice vinegar adds a sweet tang. A splash of fish sauce provides that savory, briny, and slightly funky touch. And chili crisp ups the heat big-time. If you prefer to tone down the spiciness, just use less than the 2 tablespoons indicated in the recipe.
Mix the beets with the dressing, and serve. The beets can be enjoyed hot, room temp, or chilled.
With their in-your-face presence, they would provide a nice contrast to richer, more sedate tasting Hawaiian-style macaroni salad, creamy potato salad or an egg salad sandwich.
Serve the beets at your next backyard barbecue or picnic to add a real jolt.
Roasted Beets with Chili Crisp, Cilantro, and Lime
(Serves 4 to 6)
4 medium beets (any color), scrubbed and dried
Extra-virgin oil oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grated zest and juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons minced lemongrass (tender inner stalk smashed, then minced with a knife)
2 tablespoons chili crisp
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a large roasting pan, smother the beets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with foil and roast until the beets are tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on the size of the beets.
While they’re still hot, carefully peel the beets. Cut the peeled beets in big chunks.
In a large bowl, mix together the lime zest, lime juice, thyme, Thai basil, cilantro, lemongrass, chili crisp, vinegar, and fish sauce. Add the beets to the mixture and stir to combine. Serve.
Get In Where You Fit In:
This recipe also works with carrots, turnips, radishes, cauliflower, fennel, and rutabagas. You can even roast cabbage leaves and thick wedges of yellow onion. If you do choose a more delicate vegetable, check to see if they’re charred and tender at 15 minutes.
I use a bunch of different herbs to really punch up the flavor, including Thai basil and lemongrass; if you can’t find Thai basil, swap it out for Italian basil. And if you can’t find lemongrass, try it with lemon verbena or ginger instead.
From “The Choi of Cooking” by Roy Choi
