Beet & Chickpea Cakes with Tzatziki by Amy Chaplin

Joan spotted this recipe on Food52.com - one of our MOST favorite websites for foodies -- and thought these colorful beet-chickpea cakes looked delicious.

This recipe which appeared on Food52 is slightly adapted from At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen by Amy Chaplin, © 2014.

Ingredients
Beet & Chickpea Cakes

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
  • 3 1/4 cups cooked chickpeas (or two 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed well)
  • 2 medium red onions, finely diced

  • 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • 2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
  • 2 medium red beets (12 ounces), 
grated on the largest holes of a box grater (4 cups grated)
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

  • 3/4 cup chopped fresh dill

  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Tzatziki, to serve (recipe follows)

Tzatziki

  • 1 large (8-ounce) Middle Eastern cucumber (or an English or garden cucumber), peeled and seeded
  • 1 1/2 cups whole-milk Greek yogurt or labneh
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
  • 1/2 garlic clove, pressed or grated on a Microplane, plus more to taste
  • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Beet & Chickpea Cakes

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, lightly brush with olive oil, and set aside.
  2. Place the chickpeas in a bowl and crush with a potato masher; set aside. (Don’t mash the chickpeas completely, the mixture should be somewhat chunky.)
  3. Warm the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes or until starting to brown. Add the garlic and salt and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the grated beets and continue cooking for another 6 to 8 minutes, or until the beets are cooked. Add the balsamic vinegar and remove from heat. Add the onion-beet mixture to the mashed chickpeas along with the chopped dill and mix well to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  4. Use an oiled ⅓-cup measure to shape the mixture into cakes. Place on the prepared sheet pan and brush the top and sides of each cake with olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes, rotate the tray, and continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until brown on the bottom. Remove from the oven; allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
  5. To serve, slide a thin spatula under each cake and flip onto a plate so the bottom side is up. Top with tzatziki or serve it on the side.

Tzatziki

  1. Grate the cucumber on the largest holes of a box grater, place in a strainer, and squeeze out juice with your hands. Drink or discard the juice.
  2. Add the grated cucumber to a medium bowl along with the yogurt, dill, garlic, salt, olive oil, and a pinch of black pepper. Stir to combine, season with more salt and pepper to taste, and serve drizzled with olive oil. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Makes about 2 cups.

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