The recipe this week reflects the notion of life and death. The main ingredients are beets, and shallots, which grow deeply in the Earth and mushrooms, which grow in dark, damp places. The finely chopped nuts are dust-like to symbolize what we each become when we return to the Earth. The beets, though, also grow above ground with greens that represent life, growth and renewal. The dish is dark, rounded underneath to symbolize Sarah and Avraham’s burial in the Cave of Machpelah and covered with beet greens that represent the continuation of life through descendants such as Isaac and Rebecca.


Ingredients:

  • 4 Golden beets, including greens
  • 1 basket of mushrooms (I used a mixture of Hen of the Woods and King Oyster mushrooms)
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 1/4 pomegranate, seeded
  • small handful of finely chopped dry roasted almonds (dust-like)
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Cut off the beet greens and set aside. Scrub beets, wrap in foil and place on tray in oven. Roast until soft, approximately one hour (beets should be soft when a fork is inserted).
  3. Finely chop the shallot and mushrooms (Hen of the Woods mushrooms naturally break off into small pieces). Over low-heat, pour 1 tbsp. olive oil to pan. Sauté shallots and mushrooms until soft, approximately 10 minutes.
  4. In another pan, pour 1/2 tbsp. olive oil. Over low heat, sauté beet greens until wilted. Add a tiny pinch of salt and a dash of pepper.
  5. Remove beets from oven and let cool. Then, peel beet skins off and chop. Fold beets and “dusty” ground almonds into mushroom mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Place on serving piece with beet-mushroom mixture at bottom and “mold” into a mound. Place beet greens on top. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds on top.

Reprinted with permission from Neesh Noosh.