I’ve got another great recipe for wood fired beets that will provide a quick way to prepare a fabulous beet hummus for guests, bring-a-dish parties, or just as a great snack for your own family. Wood fired flavor will come from the gas grill equipped with wood chunks using a two-zone cooking method. The outcome is a full flavor, beautiful beet hummus color to delight all who have the pleasure of partaking in this treat. Just one good size beet will do the trick but I always do an extra to keep around.
Join me at the grill as we make ricotta and smoked beet hummus.
Beet Preparation
#freshbeets
It’s so simple to prepare beets for the grill to roast and smoke. Simply trim the leaf stalks off and wash the beets well under water. Pat dry and then wrap in aluminum foil leaving the upper portion of the foil open to allow the smoke vapor in. That’s it! I like to put my foil wrapped beets on a ¼ sheet pan to make it easy to add and remove from the grill. This will be a two-zone grill set up so while I’ve been preparing the beets, I’ve preheated my grill to medium-high using only ½ the burners and added a smoker box with wood chunks to the side that will be hot. Wait for full temperature and the wood chunks to smoke, and you’re ready to add the beets.
Tasting Notes: It is not necessary to foil wrap the beets but you will need something to put the beets on otherwise you’ll have purple beet juice all over your grill.
Two-Zone Grill Smoking
#twozonecooking
With the washed fresh beets wrapped in foil, it’s time to let them grill roast as well as smoke. I’ve placed three hardwood chunks in a metal smoker box to add smoke vapor to the beets. My beets are placed on the unlit side of the grill while the smoker box is on the hot side. After about 75 minutes, these are tender and smoky. Remove them from the grill and allow to cool until they can be handled. Using a paper towel, begin peeling the skin from the cooked beets. Using a paper towel will protect your hands from becoming purple from the beet juice, a common problem when working with beets.
Tasting Notes: I’ve elected to use wood chunks as I find the provide for greater smoke vapor and don’t require any additional wood to be added to the smoker box. You certainly can use wood chips but note, you may need to replenish these during cooking.
A Bright and Flavorful Hummus
#beethummus
With the beet grilled and smoked, it’s time to add the ingredients for our hummus. Start by adding one 15-1/2 ounce can of chickpeas that have been rinsed and drained to a food processor bowl. Then add 1/3 cup of well mixed tahini, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup ricotta, 1 garlic clove finely grated, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper, and ¼ teaspoon ground coriander to a food processor and process until smooth. Remember, the smoked beet will add a sweet flavor so adjust seasonings after that step.
With the other ingredients processed for the beet hummus it’s time to bring in the wood fired beet flavor. Cut one smoked beet into 8 pieces and add to the processor bowl and process until well combined and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Transfer the hummus to a serving dish, sprinkle with fresh mint and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with your choice of sides – vegetables, pita wedges, won-ton chips, crostini, crackers – whatever fits your need. This is easy to keep on hand for when you need a quick cocktail accompaniment or just want a great, healthy snack. You’ll love the festiveness of the bright purple-pink hue which makes this a stand out dish.
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By our stove top smoked chives techniques we will be adding a pinch of smokey flavor to these wonderful bright green chives
STOVE TOP SMOKED CHIVES FRESH FROM THE GARDEN
Fresh chives are in season so why not do something different with this wonderful herb and try your hand a smoking them! One of the easiest methods for controlling the heat and smoke level to a delicate item like herbs is to use a stove top smoker or stove top smoker set up with a cast iron pan. The point of smoking the chives is to add a depth of flavor to any recipe.
INGREDIENTS:
A stove top wood smoker or cast iron pan with an insert pan for the chives and a lid
Be sure your smoker base pan of the stove top smoker unit or of your cast iron pan is clean of any previous wood chips or food scraps. Add the SmokinLicious® Wood Products Minuto® Smoker Wood Chips in Size #6 in the base of the unit or skillet, about a dessert plate full of chips. Be sure to select a wood flavor that will not overpower the chives flavor. My choice is Sugar Maple. The chips should be left dry as stove top techniques work best with dry wood product.
HEATING THE PAN:
After adding the wood chips turn the heat level of your stove to medium. Put the cover of the unit on or a lid on the pan and let the chips begin to smoke. On the stove top unit, keep the vent top open about ¼ turn. You can alter the position of the lid on a skillet so it isn’t air tight. Remember, you’ll want to trap most of the smoke into the unit or pan. Once you see smoke vapor exit the vent, it’s time to add the chives.
Putting the chips in the bottom of the pan
PREPARING THE CHIVES:
Gently wash the chives and trim the bloom heads of the stalks as well as any dry bottoms. Pat the chives dry and place in the food pan.
SMOKING PROCESS:
Using a stove top smoker will be the easiest way to get smoke flavor to each chive as the food pans have evenly placed vent holes to ensure great flavoring to every part of the food item. Maintain a temperature of about 150°F to ensure that you don’t burn the chives. About 10 minutes into the infusion, check the chives by lifting off the cover and see if they have taken on a golden hue. If so, you’re about ½ way there! At this point, the chives will begin to lose moisture and become similar to a dried herb.
After about 20 minutes, you’re ready to remove the chives and start on the next batch. Once the smoking process is finished, starting thinking of all the uses for this flavorful smoked herb. Be sure to check out our recipe postings to give you inspiration. Please try using our stove top smoked chives technique on this seasonal herb for a wonderful smokey flavor.
RADISH SALAD WITH A WOOD-FIRED FLARE- The peak season for radishes is April thru July so I’m taking advantage of this great seasonal vegetable and putting them on the gas grill with some wood chunks to smoke up the flavors. I’ll first provide you my technique for bringing a wood flavor to these red beauties on a traditional gas grill, then I’ll use the finished product in a smoked radish and cannellini bean salad that is perfect as a side dish or for those vegetarians, add some non-animal protein to be a main dish favorite. Let’s get started!
Using an LP or natural gas grill makes this such an easy yet highly flavorful way to add wood-fired flavor to radishes. First, I heat my grill using all burners (I have 4 total on my unit). I add 2 double filet wood chunks from SmokinLicious® to one of the heat tents of the grill. Heat tents diffuse the heat evenly throughout the grill area. These also go by names such as flame tamers, diffusers, flavor bars. Once the grill is to temperature, I will leave the burner with the wood chunks on medium and add my grill pan insert to the grill. A vegetable pan ensures the radish pieces won’t fall thru traditional grill grates and allow for more even cooking and smoke flavor.
How To Purchase & Clean Radishes
#radish
When purchasing radishes look for plump, firm and smooth ones without any cracks or blemishes. If purchasing with the greens intact, know they should be used within 2 days. Those purchased in plastic bags remain fresh for up to a week. My preparation of the radishes is very simple. I remove the green leaves and stems – remember, these are highly nutritional as well so they can be added to a mix leaf salad or in a smoothie – and cut away the stem head and pointed tip. Then wash the radishes well in a colander making sure all signs of dirt are removed since these are a root vegetable. Pat dry and then cut into thin wedges as this sizing will be needed for my smoked radish and cannellini bean salad recipe. Now, off to the grill which should be hot and ready to go.
True Wood Flavor Even On A Gas Grill
#cutradish
With the radishes cut into thin wedges and placed on a vegetable tray, mine is the vegetable tray insert for the Stōk® grill system, I’m ready to place the insert on the grill. First, I keep the burner that the wood chunk pieces are on lit as well as the burner next to that one. The other two burners are turned off as I will use the accumulated heat to cook the radishes in an indirect method. Closing the grill hood allows the radishes to tenderize and infuse with wood smoke vapor. I am looking for these to be tender but still have a bit of bite to them.
Gather Your Ingredients for Radish Salad with a Wood-Fired Flare
Now that my radish wedges are tender and full of wood-fired flavor, it’s time to remove them from the grill, allow them to cool and begin assembling our RADISH SALAD WITH A WOOD-FIRED FLARE. Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:
2 bunches of radishes that have been smoked in thin wedges
2 scallions, thinly sliced
3- 15 ounce cans of cannellini beans, rinsed
¾ cup oil cured black olives, pitted & quartered or you can use standard canned pitted black olives
Blending The Dressing
#salad
In a blender, combine the anchovies, oil, capers, and 1 cup of parsley and blend until a coarse puree forms. Transfer this blended mixture to a large bowl; mix in ¼ cup vinegar, and season with salt and fresh ground pepper. You can add more vinegar if the mixture appears dry but usually the recommended amount is perfect.
Bringing It Together for RADISH SALAD WITH A WOOD-FIRED FLARE
Our puree mixture will be the dressing for our salad. Once the puree mixture is added to a bowl it’s time to bring in all the other aromatics. First, add the smoked radish wedges followed by the scallions, beans, olives and remaining 1-1/2 cups of parsley and toss well to combine. Despite having both anchovies and capers in the mix, this is not a salty tasting bean salad so those with sodium concerns can relax and enjoy.
We’ve taken our previously grilled and smoked radish wedges flavored with SmokinLicious® double filet ash wood chunks, and produced a rich, flavorful bean salad packed with the flavors of fresh parsley, olives, and layered in flavors from capers and anchovy. This salad can be made 4 hours ahead, covered, and chilled until ready to serve. It is the perfect compliment to fish, poultry, and steak. For a vegetarian take, add hard-boiled egg or tofu. We’ve even added seasonal strawberry and grapes, as fruits add a nice sweet level that works very well. Take advantage of seasonal radish’s high nutritional value, and put your take on this great recipe.
#springsalad
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