Like one of my favorite bloggers once said, “Pretty food tastes better.” Well…most of the time.
I was out for a professional lunch and one of my fellow young professionals decided to order beef carpaccio, a raw beef dish, as his entree. Pretty fancy for our age group, but I respected his gumption. The dish came sliced ultra thin, laying on a circular plate, looking like something Pollick might have whipped up in the back. While beautiful, the sight definitely turned my stomach.
Was he trying to be impressive? Ye who eat raw beef: is it particularly manly to devour uncooked meat? Sort of like a Rocky Balboa-drinking-raw-eggs thing? Call me crazy, but sushi-fied beef does not sound appetizing to me in the least.
Beets on the other hand? Oh, I could eat Beet Carpaccio all day, every day. Just look how stinkin’ BEAUTIFUL this plate is. Could you imagine if this was served to you at a fancy restaurant? How impressed would you be? The colors! The freshness! The taste! It all comes together with this gluten free and vegan appetizer! And guys, this may be the easiest recipe you try this week.
As you may have guessed, Beets will star in this dish. I love beets…when they’re roasted. If you’re not a beet fan, definitely give roasted beets another shot. I have a ton of recipes using them on the blog…like this. This. and OOH-my-beet, this. Although they’re a root vegetable, beets have a wonderful sugary quality about them, which makes them ultra addictive and exceptionally tasty. Today, we’re showcasing these beauties by slicing them especially thin. See those rings? How impressive is that?
My favorite berries in the world are blackberries. Blueberries are sometimes too mushy, and strawberries are too…mainstream sometimes. But that addictive texture, pop, and tang of blackberries? I could eat them all. day. long. I think the addition of these berries were an ode to those impending summer months when blackberries run abundant in any grocery store or farmers’ market. I am SO excited to buy some fresh blackberries, and for that reason, I expect this appetizer to be on rotation this spring.
Acting as our only green, I love the fresh crunch that pea sprouts give this salad. I find my pea sprouts at the happiest place on earth Trader Joe’s. If you can’t find pea sprouts, feel free to substitute it with arugula or spinach. I opted to form my little sprouts into a cute nest for one of my blackberries..you know. Tis the season for all things nests. BUT, if you’re more of a salad purist, feel free to place the greenage on the bottom.
We’re lightly dressing our salad with a mixture of balsamic vinegar, fresh thyme, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper. Balsamic vinegar is my favorite salad topping because of its sweet bite. Thyme melds beautifully with the beets and blackberries all while adding a bit of herby freshness to the final plate. This dressing is so stupid simple, but its flavor will delight and excite you.
The fresh flavors of this Beet Carpaccio will leave you yearning for the crisp springtime. As an impressive appetizer for a large dinner party, or a simple salad for two, this Beet Carpaccio is a delicious way to start any meal.
Beet Carpaccio
https://www.fooduzzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Beet10.jpg
| Prep: | Yield: serves 2 people | Total: |
Beautiful beets accented with tangy blackberries and aromatic thyme. This gluten free and vegan appetizer is sure to impress!
You'll Need...
- 3-4 small-medium roasted beets
- 2 handfuls blackberries, rinsed
- 2 handfuls pea sprouts, rinsed well
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1/8 tsp. fresh thyme
- salt + pepper to taste
Directions
- Make the dressing: Mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.*
- Slice beets very thin. Spread them out on a plate in a pretty pattern.
- Place blackberries between (or on top of) beets. Get creative!
- Place pea sprouts in a small bowl and spoon some dressing over top. Mix to combine. Place pea sprouts on top of beets.
Additional Notes
*You'll have some dressing left over. Save it in a container in the fridge and throughout the week!
Stay classy, Internet friends!
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[…] Did you notice a huge influx of beet recipes this week? My mom texted me on Monday after I posted my beet recipe and said, “Every single recipe has beets this week. You nailed it!!!!!!!” Supportive […]