Red Beet Green Apple Salad

I don’t believe there are any Turkish recipes that use raw beets. Typically in Turkish Cuisine, beets are cooked before they are added to salads or mezes. That said, when I was visiting my family in Izmir in April, one of our long time family friends, Yildiz abla made us a beet salad to die for. Simple, yet delicious, a bright colored, zesty salad made with raw beets, green apples, herbs and walnuts. Enjoy!

• 1 large or two small red beet
• 1 large green apple (Granny Smith)
• ¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ¼ cup walnuts, chopped
• 2 green onions, finely chopped (optional)
• ½ cup fine bulgur
• 1 cup boiling water
• ¼ cup olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 table spoon pomegranate paste/molasses (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A few sprigs of parsley or dill for garnish

Directions:

Peel the red beet, wash and grate using the fine side of the grater. Place it in a large bowl.

Wash and grate the green apple using the coarse side of the grater. Add it to the bowl.

Place bulgur in a separate bowl. Add boiling water to it. Stir with a spoon, let it sit for a couple of minutes allowing bulgur to soak the water in. Using a strainer, drain excess water. Add bulgur to the bowl, mix with a spoon.

Finely chop dill and parsley.  Add the herbs and chopped walnuts to the bowl. Mix gently with a spoon. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate paste (optional), salt and pepper. Stir with a spoon. Cover the bowl and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes allowing all the flavors to come out.

Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with fresh parsley or dill leaves.

Finely Grated Beets