Name: Mouthwatering Charred Beets With Ricotta
Total time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 garlic clove, finely grated; 2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce; 2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar; 2 tsp. sugar; 2 tsp. chili crisp (preferably Lao Gan Ma), plus oil from jar for serving; 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more; ½ bunch Tuscan kale, stems and ribs removed; 1 lb. prepared unseasoned cooked beets, drained; ¼ cup vegetable oil; Sliced sourdough bread or focaccia (for serving); Extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling); 8 oz. fresh ricotta; 4 oz. fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-size pieces

Mouthwatering Charred Beets With Ricotta

Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Shuai Wang, Prop Styling by Megan Forbes and Christina Hussey

Sichuanese mouthwatering sauce, most commonly paired with poached chicken, is characterized by its tart and spicy flavor. Shuai Wang—chef at Short Grain, Jackrabbit Filly, and King BBQ in Charleston, South Carolina—pours it over sweet and smoky grilled beets in an unexpected but excellent vegetarian variation. Pockets of milky mozzarella are swapped here in place of poached chicken, while grilled kale provides lots of texture (be sure to opt for the Tuscan kind instead of curly kale, which tends to be too chewy) to the dish. Store-bought cooked beets are a handy shortcut to save on prep time and will yield equally tasty results.