Rote Bete, die Vielseitige, hier gebettet auf cremig-frisches Labneh, garniert mit süß-herbem Safranhonig, dazu frische Minze und nussige Pistazien – wow! Katja

ORIGINALREZEPT von Raquel Pelzel: Roasted Beets on Toasts with Labneh and Saffron Honey
Serves 4

Labneh is a Lebanese strained yogurt that is quite rich and tastes almost like a sour cream /crème fraîche hybrid. It comes fresh in a tub, like yogurt, or as balls preserved in a jar of olive oil, almost like cheese. Here, I use the creamy version spooned over toast and paired with stunning roasted beets (beetroots) and saffron-infused honey. Toasted pistachios and chopped fresh mint add a pretty bright color and nice crunch.

Tipps for using a broiler
When I make toast, nine times out of ten, I’ll use my broiler (grill). This method of toasting adds the loveliest extra dimension of singed flavor from the broiler element (especially if you have a gas oven – then the toast tastes grill kissed). A grill (barbecue) also does the trick, but in New York City, it’s not the most practical approach to cooking for four to five months of the year.

Drizzle one side of each slice of bread with oil (extra-virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil are my go-to selects) or spread with softened butter, then season with a few pinches of kosher salt.

Position an oven rack in the top third of the oven, 3-4 inches (7.5-10 cm) from the broiler (grill) element, and preheat to high. If you have an old-school broiler drawer beneath your oven, you can get a better result by setting the baking sheet on top of a muffin tin, thereby elevating the baking sheet to 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm) from the heating element.

Set the bread on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes (watch the bread closely as broiler intensities vary – never walk away from food under the broiler!).

Flip the bread slices and toast the other side until golden brown, another 1-2 minutes.

Ingredients for the Saffron Honey and Roasted Beets
1teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 cup (120 ml) honey
1 teaspoon plus a pinch of kosher (coarse) salt
3 medium beets (beetroots), ends trimmed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
Freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients for the Toast
Four-inch (2 cm) thick slices country-style bread
Extra-virgin olive oil, for the bread
Kosher (coarse) salt, for the bread
1 cup (240 ml) labneh (Lebanese-style) yogurt or plain Greek yogurt
4 tablespoons toasted and roughly chopped pistachios
Flaky salt

Preparation
1. Make the saffron honey: Toast the saffron in a small skillet (frying pan) over medium heat,
shaking the pan often, until the saffron is fragrant, 30 seconds-1 minute. Transfer the saffron to a small dish and use the back of a teaspoon to crush it into a fine powder. Add the honey to the skillet and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the saffron and a pinch of salt, remove from the heat, and set aside.

2. Roast the beets: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C/Gas Mark 5). Set each beet in a large square of foil and drizzle 1 teaspoon of the oil over the top of each beet. Wrap the beets in the foil, place them on a rimmed baking sheet, and roast until a paring knife easily slides into the center of the largest beet, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and set aside for 20 minutes before unwrapping. Once the beets are cool enough to handle, peel them and chop into bite-size pieces. Toss the beets with 1 tablespoon of the oil, the mint leaves, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper and set aside.

3. Make the toast: Toast the bread like mentioned above. Let the toasts cool for a few minutes before topping. To serve, spread each toast with labneh. Top with beets, pistachios, a generous drizzle of saffron honey, and flaky salt.