Photo: Jeremy Fox

Destination Dining: Beets and Apple 'Charoset' with Feta, Horseradish and Pecan

Learn how to make charoset, Birdie G's style.

Birdie G's is a destination restaurant tucked away within Santa Monica’s historic Bergamot Station in Los Angeles, where regional American cookery and timeless family recipes are celebrated in a fun atmosphere.

This recipe is shared by award winning chef Jeremy Fox. It featured as part of the S.Pellegrino Destination Dining series, a cross-state swap of restaurants' recipes between New York and Los Angeles

04 November, 2020

Dietary Consideration

Vegetarian

serves for

ingredients

Baby beetroots

12 baby (reserve 2 shave raw)

Beet brine

Whipped feta

Honey mustard

Apples

½ an apple per serving, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks

Horseradish root

1-inch, peeled

Toasted pecans

1 Tbs of pecans per serving

Make the brine:

Apple cider vinegar

Still water

300 g

Caster sugar

300 g

Kosher salt

10 g

Black peppercorns

2 g

Nutmeg

2 g mace blades

Fennel seeds

2 g

Bay

Whipped Feta

Feta cheese

250 g

Cream cheese

250 g

Horseradish

50 g (prepared)

Horseradish

20 g (prepared horseradish brine)

For the Honey Mustard

Dijon mustard

40 g

Mustard

30 g (Whole grain)

Apple cider vinegar

80 g

Honey

70 g

Extra virgin olive oil

80 g

Grape seed oil

80 g

Step 01

To cook the beets:

- Preheat oven to 375F
- Wash beets under cool running water and pat dry
- Lightly coat beets in olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt
- Place beets in a baking dish with just enough water to cover the bottom of the dish
- Cover with a lid or foil and cook for about 45-60 minutes, until there is no resistance when pierced by a fork
- Remove from oven and let cool down enough to handle, then carefully rub the skins off
- Cut the beets into the desired bite-size shape and submerge with the cold brine
- Beets will hold indefinitely in the brine under refrigeration

Step 02

To make the brine:

- Bring the ingredients to the boil, strain and cool completely.

- Refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 03

To make the whipped feta:

- Let feta and cream cheese sit at room temperature for an hour.
- Combine all ingredients in a stand mixer with paddle attachment.
- Whip until smooth and creamy.
- Refrigerate.

Step 04

To make the honey mustard:

- In a mixing bowl, combine mustards and vinegar with a whisk.
- Slowly add the oils while whisking until emulsified.
- Add the honey and mix well.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 05

To plate the beets:

- Spread whipped feta on the bottom of a plate or bowl.
- Sprinkle the feta with chopped toasted pecans.
- Arrange the beets and apples on top.
- Squeeze small dots of honey mustard evenly.
- Slice raw beets very thinly and arrange on top.
- Grate fresh horseradish over it all.