Carpaccio of Beets with Sherry Vinaigrette

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The colours of your food...

Beetroots are gorgeous!

Not only do these sweet vegetables taste delightful, but they also look stunning. At times, within the same beetroot, you may get all shades of their colour. The heritage beetroots are the most delightful vegetables to see, they come in various shades and sizes. From the candy striped beetroots, which are especially gorgeous in salads, as they have white swirls inside them, which when you slice look so gorgeous. To the golden varieties, and even the whites… Bringing colour into food, is one way to switch the appetite on, and there is no better way to bring fabulous colour than with these gorgeous beets!

When beets are cooked, roasted or steamed until tender, then sliced very thin they become translucent and  almost see through. Lined  on a plate they will look great and dressed with a vinaigrette they will make a delicious salad. With that said, I do prefer the flavour of roasted beets, and always stay away from the traditional steaming/boiling as these two methods water the beets down, stripping them from their deep earthy flavours. The roasting concentrates their natural sugars and also their earthy flavour. I roast the beets before every application, be it a salad, or for making a dip of mushy beets with tahini and they turn out so delicious that way. If you have been boiling/steaming beets, try roasting and see how enhanced the flavour becomes.

This salad is one of those salads that are delicate, therefore don’t try and overpower the flavour with too many additions. I kept it simple with a delicate Sherry vinaigrette seasoned with zaatar. It is a very tasty salad that you will love so give it a try…

Ingredients

Serves: 6
  • 2 large red beetroots, roasted until tender, cooled
  • 2 large golden beetroots, roasted until tender, cooled
  • 1 red onion, very thinly sliced
  • 2-3 tbsp baby arugula or watercress
  • 3 tbsp walnuts, roughy chopped
  • 2 tbsp raisins (optional)

For the dressing

  • 2 tbsp DS Pickled Zaatar
  • 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
  • 1/4 cup DS Premium Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • DS Himalayan Pink Salt & black pepper to taste

As you start preparing this dish, soak the thinly sliced red onion in the sherry vinegar, and set aside.

Wrap the beets with foil paper and roast in a preheated oven until cooked through tender. Once done, remove the foil and allow to cool.

Once cool enough to handle, peel and slice the beets very thinly (here I have sliced them at 0.75 mm). Set aside to cool.

When done slicing the beets, remove the onions from the vinegar and place in a separate dish.

Make the Sherry Vinaigrette

In a bowl, add the pickled Zaatar and the sherry vinegar, and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Stir to incorporate the flavours.

Pour the olive oil, in a thin steady stream while continuously whisking or stirring, until the mixture looks emulsified (incorporated and not separated).

 

Place the beetroots, leaves and all the rest of the ingredients in a bowl, add the dressing and mix all together well.

Transfer to your serving bowl or plate.

Refrigerate for 10 minutes and serve cold.

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