I can’t remember where I quite came across the Hartwood Tulum cookbook. I do, however, remember how magical the whole book seemed to me. The story of how the once New York residents went rogue by moving to Mexico to live an off-the-grid life to open up their own restaurant, Hartwood; the photos of the magical Yucatan peninsula; the recipes. Oh those recipes. They each sound so fresh, inviting, and they’re all made in over open fire in an open kitchen, in an open restaurant. Their restaurant is completely open under the sky. By the help of the photos and descriptions I can almost see and feel what it would be like. The first recipe that truly caught my attention was this roasted beets with avocado crema, which I have made for my family a few times now.
Cue in Covid-19 that has stunted the possibility of having traveled here and the real deal will have to just wait on pause. In the interim, I will gladly make recipes from the book and enjoy them from the comfort of my home with my family. “Hartwood is the place I dream about,” is written on the sticker on the front cover of this book. I cannot help but feel and say, “Me too,” for now. I hope you enjoy this refreshing and healthy dish as much as my family and I did.
Roasted Beets with Avocado Crema
Ingredients
- 4 large beets, scrubbed
- 8 basil sprigs
- Olive oil for drizzling
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Ground allspice for finishing
FOR THE AVOCADO HABANERO CREMA
- 1 ripe Hass avocado, halved, pitted, and peeled
- 1/2 – 2 habanero chilis, seeded (leave the seeds in for more spice)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
CHILE LIME SALT, FOR GARNISH (OPTIONAL)
- 4 dried árbol chilies
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- Grated zest from 3 limes
- First, reheat the oven to 375°F.
- Place the beets and basil in a baking dish and fill with water about 1/3 way up. Cover tightly with foil, then bake for approximately 1 hour or until a knife can easily pierce all the way. Remove the beets from the liquid and let cool. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F or prepare a charcoal grill with a few wood chips.
- Slice the beets in half, then place in a large cast iron skillet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Finally, roast or grill for about 20 minutes, or until crisp and starting to char.
MAKE THE AVOCADO HABANERO CREMA
- Add the avocado, habanero, sour cream, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper to a blender and blend on high for about 10 seconds. Stop to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula, then repeat until a smooth cream forms—this will take several minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the flavors can meld. Sauce can be made several hours in advance, but will start to discolor after a day.
MAKE THE CHILE LIME SALT
- Toast the chiles in a dry heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Let cool. Next, pulse the chiles in a spice grinder or food processor to a fine powder, then mix with the salt and lime zest. Store in a tightly sealed jar in a cool place. This will make more than you need for this recipe, but can be used to season a wide variety of other dishes.
TO SERVE
- Serve the beets warm, topped with a generous dollop of crema, then dusted with a pinch of allspice and chile lime salt.
