From my kitchen: Alice Zaslavsky’s rainbow labneh

SERVES 4-6

250g Greek-style yoghurt

2 tablespoons ground sumac 2 tablespoons pink peppercorns, finely chopped or crushed

3 tablespoons dukkah (preferably with pistachio nuts)

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

2 tablespoons freshly cracked black pepper 3 tablespoons finely chopped dill fronds POMEGRANATE DRESSING

2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, peeled and bruised 1 teaspoon honey

¼ cup (60ml) olive oil

¼ cup (60ml) blood orange juice

SALAD

6 baby Bulls-eye beets, washed and scrubbed

6 baby golden beets, washed and scrubbed 3 cups (150g) baby kale leaves or rocket 1 blood orange, halved (optional) Start on the rainbow labneh the night before. Line a sieve or colander with muslin (cheesecloth) or a clean tea towel. Pop the yoghurt in, then hang the sieve over a bowl and leave in the fridge for the liquid to drain. By morning, the yoghurt will have become much firmer. (Reserve the whey – the liquid left in the bowl – for making pancakes, or your own yoghurt.)

Combine all the Dressing ingredients in a jar and shake to emulsify. Alternatively, use a whisk – this dressing should be thick and glossy. Taste for sweetness. If the blood orange is quite bitter, add an extra teaspoon of honey. Leave in the bruised garlic until just before serving, to let the flavour infuse as much as possible.

To roll the labneh, set up a small fingerbowl of water for keeping your palms moist. Set up four saucers or plates: one with the sumac and pink peppercorns; one with dukkah; one with the poppy seeds and cracked pepper; one with dill. Set up a lined baking tray.

4 Use a teaspoon measure to shape balls of labneh, gently rolling them between your palms, then tossing in one of the saucers and applying a little pressure to help the crust of spices or herbs stick. Lay the rolled rainbow balls on the baking tray. Once all of them are done, pop them in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up.

5 Meanwhile, prepare the Salad. Thinly slice all the beets using a mandoline and place in a serving bowl. Drizzle the dressing through the beets, tossing to coat. Pop the kale leaves on top, ready to be tossed through just before serving (this will keep the kale from wilting on too much contact with the oil).

6 Once the Salad has been tossed, arrange the blood orange halves on the sides, if using, then the rainbow labneh balls on top. Encourage guests to scoop at the labneh balls in the bowl, and then fork them into theatrical creamy dressing on their plates, with a bonus squeeze of blood orange if they’re so inclined.

Shortcut For a simple version, drizzle Greek-style yoghurt on top of the salad and sprinkle with dukkah. Double duty If you’ve any dressingsoaked beets left over, pop them through couscous the next day. You can also preserve the labneh balls in sterilised jars with grapeseed or olive oil to cover and give as gifts. Stored in a cool, dark place they should last up to 3 months, or 2 weeks in the fridge once opened. Use as you would Persian feta.