Beet Crisps
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 30 minutes
You can deep-fry virtually any ultra-thinly-sliced root vegetable and get homemade chips (see Other Vegetable Fries), but you can also crisp slightly thicker pieces in the oven, with a lot less oil and a lot less mess. Beets are especially great this way because of their bright color and naturally sweet flavor.
Other vegetables you can use: carrots, parsnips, rutabagas, kohlrabi, sweet potatoes, or turnips.
1 pound beets, trimmed and peeled
3 to 4 tablespoons neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400В°F. Lightly grease a couple of baking sheets or line them with parchment if you like.
Cut the beets in half and then crosswise into thin slices (1/8 inch or so). You can use a mandoline for this; just don’t set it too thin. (And if the beets are small, simply cut them crosswise.) Toss them in the oil and spread the slices out on the baking sheets. (It’s okay if they’re close, but don’t let them overlap.)
Roast the beet slices until they’re beginning to brown on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes. Flip them over and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Keep roasting until they’re well browned, another 10 minutes or so. Serve immediately.
8 Ways to Season Beet and Other Vegetable Crisps
When you sprinkle with salt and pepper, dust the crisps with any of the following seasonings:
- Curry powder (to make your own, see Hot Curry Powder)
- Chaat masala (to make your own, see Chaat Masala)
- Garam masala (to make your own, see Garam Masala)
- Chili powder (to make your own, see Chili Powder)
- Jerk seasoning (to make your own, see Jerk Seasoning)
- Five-spice powder (to make your own, see Five-Spice Powder)
- Japanese Seven-Spice Mix
- (to make your own, see Zaвatar)
