Shadow Play Beets Arugula (Printer-Friendly)

Layered golden and red beets with arugula and black accents create a vibrant, sophisticated starter.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium golden beet, peeled and thinly sliced
02 - 1 medium red beet, peeled and thinly sliced
03 - 1 cup baby arugula
04 - 1/2 cup watermelon radish, thinly sliced

→ Dark Accents

05 - 1/2 cup blackberries
06 - 1/4 cup black olives, pitted and halved
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)

# How To Make It:

01 - Using a mandoline slicer or sharp knife, peel and slice both golden and red beets very thinly.
02 - Arrange beet slices on a large platter in a semi-overlapping pattern, alternating colors to enhance contrast.
03 - Fan watermelon radish slices over the beets and scatter baby arugula evenly on top.
04 - Position blackberries and halved black olives strategically beneath or behind bright ingredients to create a striking silhouette.
05 - Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
06 - Drizzle the dressing evenly over the assembled vegetables.
07 - Spoon small dollops of black tahini around the plate and use the back of a spoon to smear gently, creating artistic shadow effects.
08 - Top with microgreens and optional edible flowers to enhance visual depth and color contrast.
09 - Present immediately as a refined starter or light salad.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It looks impossibly elegant but comes together in under thirty minutes, perfect for impressing without the stress.
  • Every ingredient pulls its weight both visually and on your palate, creating layers that unfold with each bite.
  • The interplay of bitter, sweet, earthy, and bright flavors keeps things interesting from start to finish.
02 -
  • Slice your beets immediately before plating—they oxidize and lose their vibrant color if they sit exposed, which defeats the whole visual purpose.
  • The black tahini is non-negotiable for the shadow effect; regular tahini will disappoint you visually even though it tastes fine.
  • This dish demands a generous platter; cramping everything together ruins the compositional drama you've worked to create.
03 -
  • If black tahini feels too precious or hard to find, make a quick version by stirring a tiny amount of squid ink into regular tahini until you reach a dramatic dark gray-black.
  • Keep your platter and all components as cold as possible until the last moment—this maintains crispness and helps the colors pop with fresh vibrancy.
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