Beet Carpaccio Salad

So you may notice that some of my recipes posted near each other in time have some of the same ingredients. Like the Carrot and Parsnip Salad and the Fettuccine with Parsnip Ribbons. Or the Spinach and Brown Rice Pilaf with Feta and the Zucchini Pancakes (which contain feta). The reason for this is that I often wind up using only part of a specific ingredient, and then go in search of something else to use the leftovers in. That is what happened with the beets, and is why this is your second beet recipe this week. Thankfully the golden beet is more versatile than one might imagine, and lends itself to some creative cooking.

Creative is just what I'd call this recipe, as carpaccio usually involves raw beef, not cooked beets. In the original dish, beef is pounded or sliced very thinly and served raw, topped with a mustard or tangy vinaigrette sauce. As best I can tell, that is - I've never had the dish myself, and vegetarian me never will. Today's beet version plays off of the carpaccio idea by having you make very thin slices of roasted beet, and topping them with a tapenade-like tangy caper and onion mixture. The whole thing is served atop a bed of peppery baby arugula.

Beet Carpaccio Salad
Adapted from A Veggie Venture and Bon Appetit
Serves 4
Printable Version

Ingredients:
2 medium golden beets
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
4 tablespoons red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons capers
5 tablespoons chives, chopped
2 hard cooked eggs, chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces baby arugula

Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Wash and scrub beets. Place in a roasting pan and coat with one tablespoon olive oil and one teaspoon salt. Roast in oven until outside of beets will yield easily to a knife, about an hour. Remove from oven and let cool. When cool enough to handle, use a table knife to peel away the beets' skin. Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, cut beets into very thin slices. Set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together onion, capers, chives, eggs, remaining tablespoon of olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Spread the arugula out on the four serving plates. Arrange the beets in a circle on top of the arugula. Place a generous spoonful of the egg mixture in the center of the beets. Drizzle a small amount of extra virgin olive oil atop plate, if desired.

Verdict? Love this. If only because it is one of the more creative/innovative/unique dishes I've made in a while. Serve this as a light meal on its own, or as an impressive starter for a main course with bold flavors.