By Carol Traulsen
There’s a sandwich spread in Germany that is made from beets and horseradish. I don’t happen to be horseradish fan but a friend gave us some beets and I was looking for something interesting to do with them and the idea of a sandwich spread seemed like a good one. There really is no substitute for horseradish but I came up with a yummy take on this ubiquitous German classic.
You will need:
1 cup of roasted beets
¼ cup plus 3 Tablespoons Neufchatel cheese
¼ cup light sour cream
1 tbl dried minced onion or ¼ cup raw onion
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 tbl olive oil
2 tbl fresh lemon juice
½ small fresh cucumber peeled and seeded
salt and pepper to taste
Easy Method to Roast Beets
Preheat Oven 400 degrees
Cut off the greens to use later if you desire. Leave a small portion of the top to hold onto later when you peel them. Scrub the beets so they are clean no need to dry. Wrap them separately, loosely in foil and place them in the oven for about an hour. Larger beets will take longer than smaller ones. To test them a fork should easily pierce the skin. Allow them to cool a little. Don’t wait until they’re cold, they’re easier to peel when they are hot. A minute or two will do. Using a paper towel or knife you should easily be able to scrape or rub the skin off. If it doesn’t come off easily put the beet back in the oven for a few more minutes.
Directions
After the beets are peeled cut them up and place them and the remainder of the ingredients into the blender. Combine until blended. Don’t worry about whether it is smooth or not- it will be a little lumpy. Salt and pepper to taste. Place it in the refrigerator for at least two hours, it needs to chill and thicken and the flavors need to meld.
As I was creating this there seemed to be something missing in the flavor profile. I missed the clean, fresh, finish that I was looking for. That was when I decided to add cucumber. It’s just what it needed! Enjoy!
