My daughter Sophia teases me whenever I choose a beet dish from a restaurant menu, saying, “So Ukrainian of you!”. But I love the sweetness and earthiness of beets, which have been a part of my diet in soups, main dishes, and salads since childhood. This Winter Beet and Dried Plum Salad with Walnut Dressing is a classic of Ukrainian cooking made from two ingredients beloved by Ukrainians.
Beets became popular in the cuisines of northern Europe during the first millennium, arriving on Ukrainian lands during the principality of Kyivan Rus in the 10th century C.E. Initially, Ukrainians viewed beets as medicinal plants for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, fevers and brain, but eventually appreciated their nutritional benefits, sweetness and long-term storability becoming an important dietary supplement during winter.
Red beets, trimmed for roasting
Golden beets, trimmed for roasting
The first archeological evidence of wild plum species dates to Ukraine to 4000 B.C. Over subsequent centuries various cultivars were developed, and by two millennia ago, the dark purple plum was widely distributed throughout Europe and used as a cure for gastro-intestinal, kidney, heart disorders and depression.
Prunes sold a Lviv market
Early agronomists noted that some fruits, including plums, dried naturally, preserving their taste without spoiling. Thus, dried plums became an important addition to the Ukrainian diet when fresh vegetables and herbs were out of season, cooked into compotes, and added to meat and vegetable dishes. Initially, Ukrainians dried plums in the sun. They later developed a method for drying ripe plums over a fire, which imparts an intense, smoky taste enjoyed by some and hated by others. Today, dried and smoked plums are sold at Ukraine’s markets.
Ukrainians are accustomed to eating seasonally. Thus, this nutritious salad of two ingredients each with a long shelf life is often served during fall and winter. It is still a favorite winter salad, although domestically grown and imported vegetables are now sold year-round.
Dried fruit seller at Ukrainian bazaar
As with many ubiquitous dishes, countless versions of Winter Beet and Dried Plum Salad use dried or smoked plums. Home cooks and chefs constantly tinker with these recipes, adding raisins or dried apricots and modifying seasonings and herbs. Ukrainian cooks often dress this salad with mayonnaise. Some cooks grind the ingredients into a beet pâté and serve it as a spread on bread. But I prefer a chunky salad lightly flavored with oil, lemon juice and garlic. This salad, suitable for any occasion, often appears as an appetizer or a side dish to poultry or meat dishes.
As I experimented with beets and dried plums to make this salad, I adapted a traditional recipe: I roasted rather than boiled red and golden beets, concentrating their flavor, enhanced sweetness, and preserved color. This is the only long step in preparing this salad. Beets take about one hour to roast but can be prepared several days ahead and kept refrigerated until ready to use.
Ukrainian dried prunes are unpitted and rock-hard. Thus, traditional recipes call for soaking the prunes in water or juice to soften and reduce the smoky flavor. I used soft, pitted dried plums with a candy-like sweetness, which do not require soaking in water, avoiding sogginess and preserving natural fruitiness.
Salad ingredients with dressing
Although this salad can be made nut-free, adding toasted walnuts enriches the salad’s flavor, providing a nutty aroma and delicious crunch. Adding equal parts of walnut oil instead of only sunflower oil with fresh lemon juice magnifies the nuttiness and sweetness of the other ingredients.
Considering its ease of preparation, this Winter Beet and Dried Plum Salad with Walnut Dressing has a complex, vibrant taste: sweet, tart, nutty, crunchy, garlicky, and salty while providing a flavorful nutrient boost. I made two versions: one with only red beets and another with a combination of red and golden beets. Both versions are delicious, but adding golden beets imparts a milder, sweeter flavor to the salad.
My domestic taste-testers sampled this Winter Beet and Dried Plum Salad with Walnut Dressing with a roasted chicken, garlic mashed potatoes and gravy dinner. Both said this colorful salad added a spark to a winter dinner and complemented the chicken well. I was encouraged by their response and will include this salad in our winter meal repertoire.
Winter Beet and Dried Plum Salad with Walnut Dressing
3-4 medium red beets, about 1 pound (456g) or ½ pounds (228g) each of red and yellow beets
1 tablespoon light olive oil
4 ounces (113 g) walnut halves, optional
4 ounces(113 g) soft dried pitted prunes such as Sunsweet pitted plums, cut in halves
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
5 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 pinches sea salt
3 tablespoons walnut oil or a neutral oil
3 tablespoons light olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon cold water
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh dill or Italian parsley, minced
6 ounces (170 g) arugula or other leaf lettuce for garnish
Preparing beets: Place rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 400°F(204°C). Scrub unpeeled beets thoroughly. With kitchen shears, trim leaves, leaving about 2 inches of the stems intact at the top of each beet, but to retain juiciness, do not trim the tails of the beets.
Dry and oil skins with oil. Tightly wrap beets individually in aluminum foil, place them on a rimmed sheet pan, and roast them for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until they are easily pierced with a wooden skewer. (Roasting time will depend on the size of your beets; small young beets are more tender and take less time to roast, while larger beets take longer.) Remove from oven, unwrap and cool for 10 minutes. When beets are cool to the touch, peel them by sliding the skins off by hand under running water. Refrigerate until ready to use. (Beet-stained hand wash clean with soap and water.)
When ready to use, cut beets into wedges or chunks and set aside. If adding yellow beets to the salad, store them separately from the red beets to avoid red stains.
Preparing dried plums: Cut dried plums in quarters and set aside.
Toasting and preparing walnuts: Preheat oven to 350°F(180°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
Arrange walnuts on a prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Toast until browned and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 7 to 10 minutes, checking frequently.
Remove from oven and leave walnuts whole or chop as desired. Once cool, store in an airtight container for up to 1 week until ready to use.
Preparing dressing: Combine mustard, honey and salt in a small bowl. Whisk in lemon juice, light olive oil, and walnut oil until emulsified. Stir in cold water and pepper. Store in a lidded jar until ready to use.
Assembling and plating salad: Taste the dressing and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
In a large bowl, combine red beets and plums. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of dressing and gently toss with a rubber spatula to coat the ingredients. In a separate bowl, drizzle dressing on yellow beets. Set aside for 15 minutes for flavors to blend.
Distribute arugula on four salad plates. Top with beets and dried plums. Scatter walnut halves and drizzle an additional tablespoon of dressing over each serving.
Serves 4-6.
Traditional red beet, dried plum and walnut salad
Contemporary red and golden beet salad with walnuts
Photo credits:
Dried fruit seller at Ukrainian bazaar: ID 26687886- © K7335, Dreamstime.com
Other photos: Slava Johnson
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