Enchant your guests with this colorful, healthy and elegantly stuffed beet dish. This recipe comes courtesy Chef Shlomo Schwartz, a Center for Kosher Culinary Arts instructor and owner of Your Soul Kitchen. For more info about CKCA Summer programs in both Manhattan and Brooklyn, visit http://www.kosherculinaryarts.com.

Ingredients:

6 medium beets

Water

1 cup whole wheat couscous

1 cup boiling water

2 cloves garlic

½ cup olive oil

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice of 1 lemon

¼  cup chopped parsley

¼  cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves

½  cup roasted pistachios (Roast single layer in a pan in a 400-degree oven for 7-10 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning)

Salt and pepper

Non-dairy yogurt or tahini (optional)

Procedure:

1) Place the beets in a pot and cover with salted water. Cook until they soften; about 30 minutes (don’t overcook them; you want the beets to be firm). Remove beets from the water and let cool for a few minutes. Peel the beets (to avoid staining hands, use gloves), trim the top and with a Parisian knife or a spoon, carefully remove the inside. Place upside down on a plate or a rack covered with paper towel to remove extra moisture.

2) While the beets are cooking, combine the couscous with the lemon zest and boiling water. Cover and allow to sit for 10 minutes, covered.

3) Put the garlic, olive oil, juice of 1 lemon and herbs in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the pistachios and pulse until rough chopped.

4) With a fork, pilaf the couscous, transfer to a large bowl and drizzle the sauce. Mix, season with salt and pepper. With a spoon, spoon the couscous into the beets.

5) For serving, spoon some non-dairy yogurt or tahini sauce on the bottom of a serving dish.  Place the beets on the sauce and serve.

Yield: 6 servings.