Roasted Beets with Lemon Tahini Sauce

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Wrap the beets in aluminum foil, place the packet on a baking sheet to catch drips and roast for approximately one hour. When done, the beets should be able to be pierced easily with the tip of a knife. Remove from oven. Allow them to cool before peeling and slicing into bite size chunks.

To make the sauce, combine the sesame paste and water in a small bowl until smooth. Don’t worry if it seems grainy. Keep whisking or stirring and it will smooth out. (Note that when you open a jar of the paste, you will notice that a layer of the seed oil is floating on top. I stir the contents with a spoon until it’s a bit more blended before scooping out the amount I need.) Add the lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper. If you like a bit of heat, add a few red pepper flakes. Fold in the crushed garlic.

You can use the sauce right away but I find it’s much better if it has a chance to sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour and preferably overnight. The garlic will perfume the sauce without adding the bite of minced garlic. The sauce will also thicken and will be the perfect consistency to use as a dip. If you want a more pourable dressing, simply thin it out with a little water.

Pour the sauce over the roasted beets or any other roasted veggie. Garnish with chopped chives. Enjoy!