İstanbul

Özlem Warren · İstanbul

We love pancar (beetroot) and great big bunches of it can be found in our pazar (farmers’ markets) in İstanbul. The modern eateries and cafés of the city also serve it in salads, usually cooked and then dressed in oil and vinegar, but sometimes grated and mixed with yoghurt too. Inspired by this, I combined cooked beetroot with briny green olives and crunchy, toasted hazelnuts, ingredients that bring layers of flavour and texture to this easy meze. The nar ekşisi (pomegranate molasses) in the dressing adds a natural sweet-and-sourness that goes well with the beetroot, complementing both the cooling yoghurt and the heat of the pul biber oil. You can replace the hazelnuts with your choice of nuts, if you wish.