Oceania Cruises' Carpaccio of Salt-Roasted Beets

By Rosalind Smith, Director of Business Development, The Cruise Web, Inc.
How often does a recipe jump out at you? It’s officially Autumn,  beets are in peak season, and I’ve recently become re-acquainted with them, so when I saw this recipe while thumbing through an Oceania Cruises cookbook, I knew I had to try them.
This recipe was surprisingly easy to make. With most of the ingredients on hand, I omitted the slices of black truffle, which were optional anyway, and replaced the canola oil with extra virgin olive oil from Greece.
I served this beet “Carpaccio” as a first course at a dinner with some friends with a light Pinot Noir. The verdict: this dish is capable of converting the average beet-naysayer into a fan. So, indulge in Oceania’s decadent version of this hearty and nutritious root vegetable.
Words of wisdom: it’s best to store your fresh beets with all foliage attached until ready to use. Most importantly, be sure to leave yourself plenty of time unless you have a trained chef in the house! I began too close to my guests’ arrival, eliminating my typical “trial run.” Therefore, I did not practice the Carpaccio-thin slices as I would have preferred.
Time was of the essence, so after peeling the carrots I continued creating “ribbons” with the peeler rather than julienne cut.
The Truffle Vinaigrette is luxurious on the palate, and the walnut oil was a nice touch. You’ll want to save your leftover vinaigrette to dress your salads, so I’d recommend storing it in an airtight glass container (up to a week). Just remember to allow it to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes prior to serving again!
Ingredients
Beet Carpaccio

• 4 small red beets with greens intact
• 3 lbs. course sea salt (about 5 cups)
• .333 cup water

Truffle Vinaigrette

• 1 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
• A pinch of kosher salt
• A pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. minced shallot
• 2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 2 Tbsp. walnut oil
• .5 tsp. black truffle paste
• 1 tsp. finely chopped chives

Salad

• .5 cup mixed baby greens tossed with baby beet greens
• 2 Tbsp. julienned red onion
• .25 cup julienned carrot
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• Black truffle slices (optional)

Instructions
Beets

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut off the top of the beets leaving a quarter-inch of the stem intact.
3. Combine the salt and water and mix together. Make a bed of the mixture approximately one half to one quarter-inch thick in a small saucepan that is deep enough to hold the beets in a single layer.
4. Position the beets stem ends up on the bed of salt and cover with the remainder of the salt. Make sure the beets are covered completely.
5. Bake the beets for an hour and a half.
6. Let the beets rest in the pan for 15 minutes after baking (during this time you can make the vinaigrette).
7. On a clean work surface, turn the block of salt-encased beets.  Carefully break off and discard the salt.
8. Rinse the beets under cold water.
9. Cut off the stem of each beet and scrape away and discard the skin.

Vinaigrette

1. Combine vinegar, salt, pepper and shallot.
2. Stir in the canola and walnut oils, truffle paste and chives.

To Serve

1. With a mandoline or very sharp knife, cut the beets into paper-thin slices.
2. Stack the greens in the center, adding in the carrots and onions.
3. Top with a leaf of parsley. If you want you can also garnish with truffle slices.
4. Drizzle the vinaigrette on top.

Have you ever cooked with beets? What is the most exotic vegetable you’ve ever used in a dish?
Rosalind Smith
Director of Business Development
The Cruise Web, Inc.
1.888.250.7803
rosalinds@cruiseweb.com