Aliza's Recipe for Stuffed Beets with Silan (Date Syrup)

Photo by Sara M. Park and styling by Selina S. Lee

My recipe for stuffed beets. The long cooked beet's natural sweetness is enhanced with Silan (date) sauce. This makes for a delicious appetizer.

Ingredients

- 8 medium-sized beets

- Stuffing:

• 2½ cups fine bulgur wheat

• 1 cup dried cranberries

• 1 packet chestnuts, coarsely chopped

• Salt and pepper

- Silan Sauce

• 1½ cups silan (date syrup, available in Middle Eastern/kosher markets on online)

• 3 cups water

• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

• Salt and pepper, to taste

- Garnishing and decorating

• Yogurt

• Olive oil, for drizzling

• Sprouts or microgreens, to garnish

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the beets in a baking pan and roast for 1 to 2 hours (depending on the size of the beets). Check with a fork for tenderness. When tender, remove from the oven and cool. Peel the beets and scoop out the insides with a spoon, to make them hollow. (To avoid waste, set aside the beet centers and use them in a salad. You can dress the chopped beets with 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 crushed garlic clove and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar.)

2. Soak the bulgur in warm water for half an hour, drain and then rinse thoroughly until the water that runs through the grains remains clear. In a large bowl, mix the bulgur, cranberries and chopped chestnuts. Season with salt and pepper. Fill the beets with the bulgur mixture.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a deep, ovenproof casserole, combine silan, water, turmeric, salt and pepper. Place the filled beets in the dish. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, pouring sauce with a spoon over the beets every 10 minutes, so that they don't become too dry.

4. To serve, pour a little yogurt into a serving bowl, place the roasted stuffed beets on top and decorate with sprouts or microgreens.