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A Taste of Wild - Pacific Northwest
Jon Moore and Aubrey Gigandet bring you restaurant-worthy recipes you can make on the road, inspired by their travels in the Pacific Northwest.
Gold and Red Beet Carpaccio with Honey Balsamic Reduction
With the summer comes the opening of the farmer’s market. That Saturday, we blended into the bustling crowd of locals, whose baskets were full of fresh produce as they bounced from tent to tent. Fruits and vegetables scented the air, and the golden sun warmed us from above. You could feel the love the produce was grown with. And there, around the corner, under a big, white tent, Aubrey and I saw bundles of beets. They were just out of the ground, as big as softballs, still black with traces of Oregon soil.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 large golden beets
- 2 large purple beets
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon salt
- Cherry-size fresh mozzarella balls (Bring extra. We ate three-quarters of them while we prepped.)
- 4 cups arugula
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
- Sea salt, to taste
- Olive oil, to taste
COOKING TOOLS
- Peeler
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Pair of gloves (if you don’t want to get your hands stained)
- Medium pot
- Small stainless steel pan
- Cooking spoon
- Tongs
METHOD
Wash and peel the beets.
Boil them in a medium pot with the garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon salt. Let ’em go for 15-20 minutes until they’re tender. If you have a skewer or knife handy, you should be able to poke it right through the middle without any resistance when they’re ready.
In a small saucepan, heat 1/4 cup honey with 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar and reduce by half or until it’s thick. It will thicken even more once it has cooled.
Both the beets and the honey balsamic reduction need to cool. The beets, in particular, will take awhile, so throw everything in the fridge and go about your day. Maybe go learn something new. You’ve got time.
Once you’re sure the beets are cool, grab a cutting board. Time to flash those knife skills. Slice your beets to the thinnest of your capabilities. Ideally 1mm. You should be able to see the sun through a slice when you hold it up. Arrange the beets in a circle on a plate, place a handful of arugula at the center, garnish with the mozzarella, and finish with a drizzle of balsamic reduction, olive oil, sea salt and black pepper. Make a bunch of dad jokes as you serve, like how “the beet goes on” or that your carpaccio is “unbeetable.” They’ll love it.
Yields 4 servings.
