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Gunpowder Smoked Beets and Tea Vinaigrette

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

Gunpowder tea vinaigrette

  • 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, loose
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons double-strength gunpowder tea (1 teaspoon tea leaves brewed in 2 1/2 ounces water)
  • 1 tablespoon gunpowder tea leaves

Smoked beets

  • 1/4 cup tea leaves
  • 1/4 cup rice (brown or white)
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • Gunpowder tea vinaigrette
  • 4 medium beets (approximately 1 pound)
  • 1 small bunch fresh tarragon or basil, leaves picked and roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup piñons
  • 8 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Instructions

Gunpowder tea vinaigrette

  • Place all in a blender and process until ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Smoked beets

  • Cut beets’ leaves and tails off and rinse the main bulbs. Boil in water for about 1 hour, until just tender. Wait until cool to the touch, then peel and slice in half.
  • Combine the tea-smoking mixture ingredients in a small bowl.
  • Line a wok with 4 layers of foil, allowing the edges to overhang. Spread the tea-smoking mixture evenly across the bottom of the wok. The layer should be at least 1/4-inch thick; if spread too thin, it won’t smoke properly. Heat the mixture until it just starts to smoke. Place beets in an oiled steamer (note that beets will stain your steamer) or on a wire rack about 2 1/2 inches above the tea mixture. There needs to be room for smoke to circulate, or the food will oversmoke. Cover with foil or a wok lid. Once smoke appears, cook for 4–5 minutes. Remove beets from steamer and let cool to room temperature.

Assembly

  • Dice the beets and toss them with half the fresh herbs, gunpowder vinaigrette, and piñons. Divide the mixture among four plates and top with goat cheese and more herbs.