Beet & Melon Carpaccio
Beet & Melon Carpaccio
Gluten-free, Vegan
Ingredients
3 medium beets, red or golden
1 melon—muskmelon—or another seasonal, fleshy fruit (melon season begins now but peaks towards early Summer)
1 teaspoon of rubbed sage leaves
High quality olive oil, to impart a full-bodied fruity flavour
Directions
1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).
2. Wash the beets and cut the tops off where they attach to the stems. Set them aside to compost or save them in a container in the freezer, as I do, to make broth later with vegetable scraps (such as onion peels and cauliflower stalks). Peel the beets imperfectly to have just bits and piece of the peel on, which will impart a textural difference and bitterness to mimic some meatiness.
3. Wrap the beets in parchment paper—I use this compostable one—and place them on a baking tray to bake them en papillote for 30-40 minutes or until tender.
4. Remove from oven and let the beets cool to touch.
5. In the meantime, cut the melon into quarts to easily shave off thin slices as pictured.
6. Unwrap the beets to similarly shave off thin slices of the beets. They don't all have to be the same in shape and size. I personally ease myself by aiming for imperfection as I enjoy a variation of texture and therefore taste.
7. Place the melon and beet slices on a plate, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle the rubbed sage as well as the sea salt to serve. You may also do a few light grinds of fresh black or pink pepper.
