Embrace Nordic cuisine’s healthy prepared and preserved food culture, and create a gourmet plate without turning on the stovetop. In this Scandinavian summer recipe, a beet and preserved lemon yogurt acts as a flavour-packed anchor to smoked fish like salmon, mackerel, or trout; shaved fennel; and roasted sunflower seeds.
Beet and Preserved Lemon Yogurt with Smoked Fish
Ingredients
- 2 precooked beets, roughly chopped
- 1 preserved lemon, seeded, flesh removed, and skin finely chopped, divided
- 2 cups (500 mL) full-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp (10 mL) lemon juice, plus more to serve
- 1 small bulb fennel, cored and shaved, fronds reserved for garnish
- 3 deboned hot-smoked fish such as salmon, trout, or mackerel, flaked into large pieces
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) roasted sunflower seeds
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) grainy mustard
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories269
- protein14g
- fat14g
- saturated fat5g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates12g
- sugars7g
- fibre2g
- sodium197mg
Directions
01
To food processor, add beets and half of the chopped preserved lemon, and pulse until finely chopped. Add yogurt and lemon juice and blend until smooth and creamy.
02
Swoosh beet yogurt mixture on bottom of large platter or on individual plates with the back of a spoon.
03
To beet yogurt mixture, evenly scatter over shaved fennel, smoked fish, and sunflower seeds. Garnish with dots of mustard, olive oil, fennel fronds, and remaining half of the chopped preserved lemon. Serve with additional lemon for seasoning.
04
Tip: Use smoked salmon, trout, or mackerel in this dish-all are delicious. Precooked beets are found in vacuum-sealed packages in the produce section of grocery stores.
Allison Day, RHN, is a nutritionist, blogger, and cookbook author. Check out her cookbooks, Whole Bowls and Purely Pumpkin (Skyhorse Publishing, 2016).
