Turkish Tarator Sauce With Beets and Beet Greens

This pungent sauce is traditionally served with beets and their greens, but makes a wonderful accompaniment to other cooked vegetables, as well.

1 large or 2 small bunches beets, with their greens (see note)
¾ cup coarsely chopped walnuts (about 2 1/2 ounces)
2 garlic cloves, halved, green shoots removed
½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
2 ounces baguette (about 4 thick slices), crusts removed, soaked briefly in water and squeezed dry
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons walnut oil
¼ cup thick plain low-fat yogurt (more to taste)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Nutritional Information
- Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
  254 calories; 21 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 299 milligrams sodium

6 servings (about 1 1/2 cups of sauce).

Roast the beets. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the greens off of the beets, leaving about 1/2 inch of the stems attached. Scrub the beets, and place in a baking dish or oven-proof casserole. Add about 1/4 inch water to the pot. Cover tightly with a lid or foil, and bake 35 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the beets, until tender. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool. If not using right away, refrigerate in a covered bowl.
While you stem and wash the greens, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the greens. Blanch one or two minutes, just until tender. Transfer to the ice water, then drain and squeeze out the water. Chop coarsely.
Combine the garlic and salt in a mortar and pestle, and mash to a paste. Place the walnuts in a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and process until finely ground. Add the bread and mashed garlic, and process to a paste. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive and walnut oils. Add the yogurt and lemon juice, and pulse to thin and smooth out the sauce. It should be thick, like a dip. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes. If you want a creamier sauce, add more yogurt.
When the beets are cool enough to handle, trim off the ends, slip off their skins, cut in half and then slice into half-moon shapes or wedges. Arrange the beets and greens on a platter. Spoon the tarator on the side or over the top, and serve.

You might want to pick up an extra bunch of beet greens at your farmers’ market if you want greens to beets to be evenly represented in the dish.
Variation: Toss the cooked beets with a little vinegar and olive oil before arranging on the platter. Advance preparation: The sauce can be made up to a day ahead. It will be more pungent by the next day, and you’ll need to thin it out. Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.

1 hour 30 minutes