WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS This charred salad reinvents and reinvigorates the pairing of creamy, salty goat cheese and earthy, sweet beets. After roasting foil-wrapped beets, we sliced and quickly charred them on the stovetop. This step essentially burned some of the sugar, adding pleasantly complementary bitterness. We amplified that with crisp radicchio and tossed it all with a dressing made from the beet cooking liquid. A simple spread of feta and Greek yogurt replaced the goat cheese. A final flourish of tart pomegranate seeds provided pops of bright acidity (and stayed on message with the ruby color scheme). Be sure to scrub the beets clean before roasting, as the roasting liquid forms the basis of the dressing.

Serves 4 to 6

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1½ pounds beets, trimmed
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 ounces radicchio, cut into 2-inch pieces
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh tarragon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Combine feta and ¼ cup yogurt in small bowl and mash to form coarse spread; refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Toss beets, olive oil, water, vinegar, 1½ teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in bowl to combine. Stack two 16 by 12-inch pieces of aluminum foil on prepared rack. Arrange beets in center of foil and lift sides of foil to form bowl. Pour liquid over top and crimp foil tightly to seal.
3. Bake until beets can be easily pierced with paring knife, 1 to 1½ hours for small beets and 1½ to 2½ hours for medium to large beets. Open foil packet and set beets aside, then pour cooking liquid into large bowl (you should have about ½ cup). Whisk remaining ¼ cup yogurt into beet cooking liquid until smooth; set aside. Once beets are cool enough to handle, rub off skins with paper towels and cut into ½-inch-thick rounds.
4. Heat vegetable oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Arrange beets in skillet in single layer and cook until both sides are well charred, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to cutting board and cut into 1½-inch pieces, then add to bowl with yogurt-beet dressing.
5. Add radicchio to bowl with beets and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread yogurt-feta mixture in even layer on large serving plate. Arrange beets and radicchio over top, then sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, dill, and tarragon. Serve