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Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Wrap the beets tightly in aluminum foil.

Bake until tender, about 1 hour. Cool in the foil packet for 15 minutes.

Carefully unwrap the packet; save any liquid. Cool the beets until you can handle them, then shred through the large holes of a box grater into a large bowl. Alternatively, feed them through the shredding blade into a food processor. Stir in any liquid from the packet.

Stir in the sour cream, dill, oil, vinegar, horseradish, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Spoon in small mounds onto crackers to serve.

Variations: Substitute golden beets for the regular beets.

Substitute peeled turnips or peeled parsnips for half the beets.

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Double-Duty Appetizers

These do double service: they’re welcome on the coffee table where they can be picked up with a small fork or a toothpick, but they can also put in an appearance as a condiment with roasts or barbecue, or as a spark alongside salads or noodles.

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Roasted Peppers with Balsamic Vinegar and Basil

The trick to this classic Italian antipasto is the quality of the balsamic vinegar. We suggest using an aged balsamic—five years maybe, not fifteen or twenty—not too syrupy, but with character and depth. Makes about 6 servings (about 4 cups)

3 red bell peppers

3 yellow bell peppers

12 basil leaves, finely shredded

1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon salt, preferably kosher or coarse-grained salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Char the bell peppers, either by holding and turning them one at a time with tongs over an open gas flame so that the outer skin bubbles and blackens, or by placing them on a large lipped baking sheet set 4 inches from a preheated broiler and turning occasionally until blackened all over, about 6 minutes. In either case, transfer to a paper bag and seal tightly or put them all in a large bowl and seal with plastic wrap. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Gently remove the peppers from the bag or bowl and peel off the blackened skin while holding the peppers over a clean medium bowl. (You want to catch any juice.) Don’t peel the peppers under running water; you’ll rinse off a good deal of their flavor. There’s no harm if a few black specks remain.

Stem, core, and seed the peppers on a large cutting board, again preserving as much juice as possible. Cut the peppers into ½-inch strips and place them in the medium bowl along with any reserved juice.

Toss with the basil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Cover and set aside at room temperature for at least 2 hours.

To store: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days; serve at room temperature.

Variation: Substitute 2 tablespoons minced mint, parsley, rosemary, tarragon, or thyme for the basil.

Trushee

These no-canning pickles are traditional in Sephardic homes at Passover. You’ll need at least 2 days to let them marinate. Try them alongside toasted walnut halves. Makes about 20 servings

2 small cauliflower heads, stemmed and cut into small florets

10 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced into rings

1 pound green beans, trimmed

4 cups white vinegar

4 cups water

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons salt, preferably kosher salt

4 garlic cloves, peeled

3 bay leaves

Fill a large pot or Dutch oven halfway with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the cauliflower florets; cook for 1 minute. Add the carrots; cook for 2 more minutes. Add the beans; cook for 1 minute. Drain everything in a large colander set in the sink—work in batches if you need to—then refresh under cool, running water until room temperature. Set aside to drain.

Return the pot or Dutch oven to medium-high heat; add the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, garlic, and bay leaves, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Leave the pot untouched until it comes to a full boil—the moment it does, remove it from the heat and cool at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Place the drained vegetables in a very large nonreactive crock, bowl,