Beet-Er Tots

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1 For the Beet-Er Tots, peel the beets and potato and grate them on the coarse holes of a box grater. Toss with the salt and place in a colander. Squeeze the mixture and press with your hands to extract as much liquid as possible.
• 2 Combine the hot water, gelatin powder, chili powder, onion powder and pepper to taste in a bowl and stir until dissolved. Pour the mixture over the grated beets and potatoes and mix quickly to distribute.
• 3 Divide the mixture into 3 equal parts and place each on its own long sheet of plastic wrap. Form into cylinders approximately 3/4- to 1-inch thick and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Place in the freezer to firm, 8 hours or up to overnight.
• 4 Add 2 inches of oil to a high-sided saute pan and heat over medium-high heat until it registers 375 degrees F on a deep-frying thermometer.
• 5 Unwrap the rolls and slice into 1-inch pieces. Fry in batches until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Drain on a rack and sprinkle with salt before serving with the Spiced Yogurt and Avocado Crema.
• 6 For the Spiced Yogurt and Avocado Crema, pulse together the cilantro, oil, lime extract, salt, cumin, black pepper, avocado and jalapeno in a food processor,until blended together smoothly. Add the yogurt and blend until smooth and creamy.