Shadow Play Beet Art (Print)

Vibrant beets paired with dark accents create a striking layered starter rich in color and flavor.

# Components:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium golden beet, peeled and thinly sliced (approximately 7 ounces)
02 - 1 medium red beet, peeled and thinly sliced (approximately 7 ounces)
03 - 1 cup baby arugula (about 20 grams)
04 - 1/2 cup watermelon radish, thinly sliced (about 60 grams)

→ Dark Accents

05 - 1/2 cup blackberries (about 70 grams)
06 - 1/4 cup black olives, pitted and halved (about 35 grams)
07 - 2 tablespoons black tahini (or regular tahini with squid ink for color)

→ Dressing

08 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
09 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon honey
11 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

12 - Microgreens (such as purple radish or basil)
13 - Edible flowers (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Using a mandoline slicer or sharp knife, slice the golden and red beets very thinly.
02 - Arrange the golden and red beet slices on a large platter in a semi-overlapping pattern, alternating colors for visual contrast.
03 - Fan watermelon radish slices over the layered beets and scatter baby arugula evenly on top.
04 - Place blackberries and halved black olives strategically beneath or behind the bright vegetables to create silhouette effects.
05 - Combine olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a bowl and whisk until emulsified.
06 - Drizzle the prepared dressing evenly over the layered vegetables and accents.
07 - Spoon small dollops of black tahini around the platter and use the back of a spoon to smear for artistic shadow effects.
08 - Finish with microgreens and edible flowers as desired. Serve immediately as a sophisticated starter.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks restaurant-worthy but comes together in 30 minutes flat, no fancy training required.
  • Every bite combines crisp, earthy, and slightly sweet notes in a way that surprises you.
  • The presentation alone makes people think you're far more precious about cooking than you actually are.
02 -
  • Beets bleed, and that's actually part of the beauty here, but slice them close to serving so the colors stay distinct instead of muddy.
  • A mandoline slicer changes everything about this dish—it creates the translucent quality that makes beets glow, and it's absolutely worth the small investment.
  • The black tahini is what transforms this from pretty to artistic, so don't skip it or treat it as optional.
03 -
  • Black garlic or roasted purple carrots add even more depth to the shadow elements if you want to take the drama further.
  • Keep your plating surface cold—chill your plate for five minutes before assembling so the beets stay crisp longer and everything looks fresher.
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