Charkhlis Chogi: A Vibrant Georgian Beet Dish with Sweet & Tart Sour Cherry Sauce

Embark on a culinary journey to Georgia, a jewel of Eastern Europe, where the ancient traditions of hospitality meet a rich tapestry of flavors. Our destination: Charkhlis Chogi, an exquisitely flavorful side dish that promises to captivate your senses. Imagine tender beets, roasted to perfection, then lovingly enveloped in a mesmerizing sweet-tart sauce crafted from luscious sour cherries and aromatic onions. This dish isn’t just food; it’s an experience that awakens your palate, electrifies your taste buds, and infuses any meal with a burst of vibrant color and undeniable pizzazz. It’s an unforgettable exploration of Georgian culinary artistry, offering both simplicity and profound depth in every bite. (Jump straight to the full recipe!)

For our latest adventure in the global kitchen, as part of the esteemed Eat the World recipe challenge, we set our sights on the captivating Republic of Georgia. Diving deep into the culinary traditions of this magnificent Eastern European nation was an absolute delight. I was immediately struck by the incredibly diverse and rich flavor profiles that characterize Georgian cuisine – a true feast for the senses! My exploration uncovered an abundance of fresh vegetables, hearty bean stews, irresistible cheesy breads, robust and often spicy savory stews, and a profound appreciation for nuts, particularly walnuts, which feature prominently in many traditional dishes. Amidst this tantalizing array of choices, one dish, in particular, seized my attention with its unique allure: this vibrant beet creation.

The dish in question is none other than Charkhlis Chogi. At its heart, it is a deceptively simple yet profoundly flavorful preparation: perfectly roasted beets, gently sliced, then warmed through in a dynamic sweet and sour sauce. This exquisite sauce gains its remarkable depth from caramelized onions and intensely tart dried sour cherries, all brought to life with a generous scattering of fragrant fresh herbs. It’s precisely the bright, zesty tang of those dried sour cherries that infuses the sauce with such an incredible vitality. Having been blessed with a bumper crop of Evans cherries last summer, resulting in several cherished jars of these “wrinkly jewels,” I was beyond eager to recreate and savor this authentic Georgian recipe.

For me, beets have always held a special place among vegetables – their distinct earthy sweetness is nothing short of a culinary treat, almost like nature’s candy. Their versatility is truly remarkable; I find immense joy in enjoying them prepared in countless ways: beautifully boiled, perfectly roasted to enhance their natural sugars, delicately shredded into vibrant slaws, wonderfully pickled for a zesty bite, juiced into refreshing beverages like apple beet juice, simmered into hearty soups such as borscht, expertly cooked and tossed into vibrant salads, and even enjoyed raw in crisp salads for a fresh crunch. Beyond their delectable taste, beets are an absolute powerhouse of nutrition – a true workhorse in maintaining a healthy diet for your family. They boast an impressive array of nutrients while remaining remarkably low in calories. Rich in manganese, folate, and a wealth of other invaluable vitamins, minerals, and potent antioxidants, beets contribute significantly to overall well-being. Furthermore, their aesthetic appeal is undeniable. Beets are inherently glamorous, natural show-stealers regardless of how they’re prepared. With their gorgeously intense, jewel-toned ruby-red color, they command attention, always making a bold statement. In the Charkhlis Chogi dish, these magnificent root vegetables are given the spotlight they deserve, allowing their full glory to shine through as the star of the plate.

Unveiling the Simplicity: Crafting Your Own Bowl of Gorgeous Georgian Charkhlis Chogi

Allow us to guide you through the effortless steps to create this stunning and flavorful dish. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you can bring a taste of Georgia to your table.

The journey begins with the beets themselves. Select a few medium-sized, firm beets, give them a good scrub, but resist the urge to peel them just yet. Gently wrap each one, or a small cluster, in aluminum foil. A light drizzle of olive oil before sealing the foil packet will ensure they roast beautifully, locking in their natural sweetness and moisture. Place these packets in a preheated oven and let the magic of roasting transform them into tender perfection. Pro tip: Since your oven is already on, consider roasting a few extra beets! They’re incredibly versatile and can be sliced into refreshing salads or added to other meals throughout the week, making your future meal prep a breeze.

Once the beets are tender and cool enough to handle, it’s time for peeling. You’ll find that the outer skin slips away with remarkable ease, often requiring little more than a gentle rub or a light scrape with a knife. Don’t be deterred by common warnings about beet stains; while they might temporarily tint your fingertips with a beautiful rosy hue, a quick wash of a few dishes or a simple hand wash will typically leave your hands perfectly clean. This vibrant color transfer is merely a testament to the beets’ intense natural pigment!

While your beets are luxuriating in the oven, take advantage of the time by preparing the foundation for your exquisite cherry sauce. Finely chop a medium onion, aiming for a consistent dice that will melt beautifully into the sauce. Simultaneously, coarsely chop a generous handful of dried sour cherries. The smaller pieces will rehydrate more efficiently and distribute their intense tartness throughout the sauce, ensuring every bite is infused with that signature sweet-tart balance.

In a skillet, combine a touch of olive oil with a knob of butter over medium heat. Once shimmering, add your finely chopped onions and sauté them gently until they become beautifully translucent and fragrant, softening to a delicate sweetness – a process that takes about 3 to 4 minutes. Next, introduce the chopped sour cherries, a dash of salt, a pinch of pepper, and a splash of water. Allow this mixture to simmer, coaxing the flavors to meld and the cherries to plump up, for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by half. While some traditional renditions might call for pureeing the sauce for a silky-smooth finish, we embrace a more rustic, chunky texture here. Not only does it add delightful visual and textural interest, but it also simplifies the process – a perfect blend of authenticity and convenience!

With your sauce simmering gently and the aromas filling your kitchen, it’s time for the grand finale. Take your warm, peeled beets and slice them into elegant wedges or rustic rounds, depending on your preference. Gently add these vibrant slices directly into the skillet with your simmering cherry-onion sauce. Toss them delicately, ensuring each piece of beet is thoroughly coated in the rich, glossy sauce. Witness how the magnificent ruby-red of the beets perfectly complements the deep, earthy tones of the sauce, creating a feast for the eyes even before the first bite.

Just behold that magnificent, jewel-toned color! It’s a visual spectacle that truly sets Charkhlis Chogi apart; few other dishes can rival such a captivating hue. On the palate, it’s a symphony of flavors: the inherent earthy sweetness of the roasted beets performs a delicate dance with the bright, invigorating tang from the sour cherries, all harmonized by the subtle savory notes of the onions. This masterful combination is surprisingly simple to achieve, yet it culminates in a flavor profile that is utterly unforgettable and deeply satisfying.

The finishing touch, and indeed a crucial element for authentic Georgian flavor, is a generous handful of fresh green herbs. Whether you opt for fragrant parsley, delicate dill, or vibrant cilantro – or even a combination – these herbs infuse the dish with freshness and aromatic depth. With this final flourish, you’ve successfully created a culinary masterpiece worthy of royalty, fit for a king, a queen, or indeed, any discerning palate ready to experience Georgian culinary excellence. Charkhlis Chogi is incredibly versatile; it pairs magnificently with a wide array of main courses, from succulent roasted meats and grilled poultry to flaky fish. It excels as an elegant side dish, a refreshing salad, or even a light vegetarian main. And here’s a delightful secret: if you happen to have any leftovers, the flavors deepen and meld even further overnight, making it taste even more exquisite the next day.

Without a doubt, this vibrant Georgian beet dish, Charkhlis Chogi, is an absolute culinary winner, sure to impress and delight anyone who tastes it.

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As we savor the warm, earthy, and bright flavors of Charkhlis Chogi, it’s a wonderful moment to reflect on Georgia’s climate. One can almost picture the springtime in Georgia being utterly lovely and warm, especially given its serene location nestled between the shores of the Black Sea, and the borders of Turkey, Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan – a truly enviable geographical position.

This vision stands in stark contrast to the reality of early March here in northern Alberta, where winter often lingers with a tenacious grip. Despite the chilly external world, preparing and enjoying dishes like Charkhlis Chogi brings a comforting warmth and a splash of vibrant color that brightens even the greyest days.

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Kitchen Frau Notes: When preparing Charkhlis Chogi, the quality and sweetness of your dried sour cherries can significantly impact the final flavor balance of the sauce. I personally utilized sour cherries that I had dried myself, which, naturally, contained no added sugar. In this instance, I discovered that incorporating just a teaspoon of granulated sugar beautifully mellowed the intense tartness of the sauce, creating a perfectly balanced sweet-tart profile. However, if the dried sour cherries you are using are already sweetened, or if you prefer a more pronounced tartness, it would be wise to either reduce or entirely omit the added sugar to avoid an overly sweet result. Always taste and adjust to your preference!

For those who might find dried sour cherries challenging to source, or who simply wish to experiment, I believe dried cranberries could serve as a viable and delicious substitute. While I haven’t personally tested this variation, it’s worth noting that dried cranberries typically tend to be sweeter than pure dried sour cherries. Consequently, if you opt for cranberries, you might find the dish to have a slightly sweeter overall profile. Nevertheless, I anticipate it would still yield a wonderfully flavorful and enjoyable side dish, offering a similar vibrant color and fruity tang.

Charkhlis Chogi (Beets with Cherry Sauce)

• 1 lb (454gms) beets – 3 or 4 medium sized beets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion (1 cup, finely minced)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper
• ½ cup (60gms) dried sour cherries (substitute with cranberries if cherries are not available)
• 1 cup (240ml) water
• 1 teaspoon sugar, optional – add only if your dried cherries are very sour
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoon chopped dill or cilantro

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Scrub the beets but don’t peel them. Cut the tops off, leaving a half inch (1cm) of stems attached. Lay the beets onto a double thickness of aluminum foil paper. Drizzle them with a bit of oil, and seal the foil tightly. Lay the packet onto a baking sheet. Bake the beet packet for 1 to 1¼ hours, until the beets are tender when pierced with a fork. (You can poke right through the foil with the fork to test them.) Open the packet and allow the beets to cool just enough so you can handle them. Peel them while still warm by scraping the outer layer off with a knife and trimming the tops.

While the beets are cooling, heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet. Finely dice the onion onion and coarsely chop the dried sour cherries. Add the onion, salt, and pepper to the oil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the cherries and the water, and cook on low heat until the water has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. You can, at this point, puree the sauce with an immersion blender or leave it rustic and chunky.

Cut the peeled beets into thin wedges and add them to the cherry onion sauce, tossing to combine them evenly. There should be a layer of liquid in the bottom of the skillet – if not, add a splash of water to moisten the dish.

Allow to cool to lukewarm room temperature, transfer to a serving dish, and sprinkle the top generously with the chopped herbs (or stir in most of the herbs, reserving a few as a garnish).

Serves 4 as a side dish.

Guten Appetit!

We invite you to delve deeper into the rich and diverse culinary landscape of Georgia by exploring the wonderful dishes thoughtfully prepared by our fellow Eat the World members. Share your own culinary adventures using the hashtag #eattheworld and join a global community of food enthusiasts. Click here to discover how you can join our exciting challenge and embark on a delicious journey, exploring a new country’s cuisine in your kitchen each month!

Bernice: Fresh Herb Walnut Tomato Cucumber Salad
Camilla: A Georgian Salad Duo: Ispanakhis Pkhali and Charkhlis Mkhali
Tara: Khabizgina (Ossetian Cheese and Potato Bread)
Juli: Satsivi – Georgian Walnut Turkey
Evelyne: Georgian Ajika Dry Spice Paste
Amy: Georgian Chicken Stew with Tomatoes and Herbs [Chakhokhbili]
Margaret: Charkhlis Chogi (Georgian Beets with Sour Cherry Sauce)
Amy: Lobiani (Georgian Bean-Stuffed Bread) #EattheWorld
Wendy: Khinkali (Georgian Dumplings)
Simply Inspired Meals: Fruit Leather aka Tklapi

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Curious about our previous culinary explorations? We invite you to delve into our archives and discover all the fascinating dishes from our past ‘Eat the World’ Recipe Challenge posts:

• A Taste of Ireland: Dublin Coddle
• A Taste of Thailand: Shrimp Laksa (Khung)
• A Taste of Kenya:Maharagwe with Ugali (Red Beans with Cornmeal Slice)
• A Taste of Sweden: Swedish Meatballs with Cream Gravy
• A Taste of New Zealand: Classic Pavlova
• A Taste of France: Axoa d’Espelette (A Simple Stew from the Basque Country)
• A Taste of Argentina: Red Chimichurri Sauce
• A Taste of India: Kerala Upma (Fluffy, Kerala Style Breakfast Upma Recipe)
• A Taste of Poland: Polish Honey Cake
• A Taste of Ethiopia: Four Ethiopian Recipes for a Fantastic Feast
• A Taste of England: Gluten Free Fish and Chips and Mushy Peas