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Beetroot Carpaccio with Tamarind Redution Vinaigrette.

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Beetroot Carpaccio with reduced Tamarind Redution.
Print Recipe
Thin veils of roasted beetroot, a fusion tamarind reduction and goats cheese. A salad made for cosy afternoons.
Servings Prep Time
3 pax 15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
1 hour - plus 30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
3 pax 15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
1 hour - plus 30 minutes
Beetroot Carpaccio with reduced Tamarind Redution.
Print Recipe
Thin veils of roasted beetroot, a fusion tamarind reduction and goats cheese. A salad made for cosy afternoons.
Servings Prep Time
3 pax 15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
1 hour - plus 30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
3 pax 15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
1 hour - plus 30 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: pax
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 200 Deg F.
  2. Wash the beetroots well and scrub it.
  3. Enclose the wet beetroots in foil and place in the middle rack of the oven. This should take appx 1 hour.
  4. Soak the tamarind in hot water and leave aside for appx 30 minutes. Use only as much water to soak the tamarind. Do not use excess water.
  5. Soak the chillies and seeds and black pepper together in a bowl, with hot water. Keep aside for appx 30 minutes
  6. After appx 30 minutes, mash the tamarind and strain the juices with a strainer. Throw away the pulp (or use for marination) and keep the juices.
  7. In a grinder, grind to paste the strained tamarind, chillies, seeds and black pepper.
  8. Heat some oil in a pan and saute the tamarind and red chilly paste.
  9. Add salt and the 2 tbspn water and let it cook for appx a minute.
  10. Set aside to cool in a bowl.
  11. ASSEMBLY: (see video) 1) Place the leaves on the plate. 2) Arrange the beets in a circle on the leaves. 3) Smear scantily, the reduced tamarind vinaigrette. 4) Place blogs of goats cheese on the smeared beets. 5) Repeat again with the beets, then tamarind reduction and goats cheese, till all the beets are over.
  12. Garnish with piped cheese cream and more salad leaves.
  13. Serve totally chilled.
Recipe Notes

I have been a wee bit obsessed with all things carpaccio for a bit. Those thin, almost translucent slices of veggies fascinate me. These thin veils, with their dressing or sauce, melting in the mouth – the whole experience just makes me feel so good. I mean how can something so thin leave behind an explosion of flavors?

 

Goat’s cheese is my all time favourite cheese, snack, and go to for balance in taste. Tamarind is one of my favourite sour sides, and a very underrated variety. When have you heard of tamarind being used as a salad vinaigrette and yet it’s a kin of the oft used balsamic (sort off!!)

 

I don’t want to gabber too much, because you really need to go check out the recipe and make it. Now is a good time to experiment huh?

 

Please do tag us on #therecipelarder on insta and facebook, with pictures if you make this recipe.

 

Cheers!

Check out the video here

 

 

 

 

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Zucchini flowers stuffed with goat’s cheese

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zuchini growing

It’s that time of the year when the farm turns green once more. Flowers, fruits and vegetables, growing over red soil, makes my heart soar. The thought of walking around the gardens and randomly plucking what is ready to harvest, tasting ripe strawberries on the way back to the house – and planning in my mind, what to make with the mud-encrusted produce in my hands.

pea shoots

Pea Shoots.

I planted Zucchini seeds this year, hoping we will get some fresh organic ones to eat. Frankly, I am not a great lover of Zucchini. I was actually eyeing the flowers. I had eaten some delicious stuffed Zucchini flowers, in a restaurant long ago. These flowers are not available in Bombay markets. The only way to get hold of them was to grow them – so grow them we did.

zuchini flower

And grow they did –Oh! Boy. How they grew!! Wild and unrelenting. An entire plot is covered with various sizes of Zucchini. I was completely delighted to see huge Zucchini’s hidden amongst the foliage. Sunshine yellow flowers, curling under the leaves, nestled next to the vegetable.

The flowers are very very delicate. I had my camera and some more equipment in my hand and bent down to pluck a flower. –And I damaged it. By the time I could stand up to see what I had pulled out, the poor little flower was almost wilting. I freed my hands and did what the flowers wanted to me to do. Show them some reverence. We were only two of us, so I slowly, with great care, plucked 5 more flowers from the stems.

zuchini flowers

The flowers in themselves, have a soft cosy mouthfeel, and a certain mild sweetness leant to it by the stamens. I had goat’s cheese at hand, so I decided to use that, with no additional flavouring.

stuffed flowers

I had to gently reach into the flower, (an not matter how careful I was, the petal tore at one end) and pull out the stamen. There is only one stamen per flower. Then I stuffed the cheese into the flower and gently, very gently closed the mouth. At this point, the flower should not be handled too much. Just a gentle two-fingered pinch at the mouth works. The cheese is a bit sticky, and will not come out, so this process is just to our satisfaction.

After this, I dredged the flower in egg batter, and then in breadcrumbs. I like the egg batter as it gives a lovely crisp edge. But I will also be giving you the recipe for eggless batter, which works just as well.

frying zuchini flowrrs

When you bite into soft petals, oozing with salty yet tart, goat’s cheese and the mouth fills up with a party of textures, just close your eyes and savour the goodness of this sunshine yellow very seasonal, and very difficult to get – flowers.

close up pf finsihed flowers

zucchini flowers stuffed with gat's cheese

zucchini flowers stuffed with goat’s cheese

finished stuffed zuchini flowers

close up of finished flowers2

Zucchini flowers stuffed with goat's cheese
Print Recipe
Exotic soft flowers, tart interior and crunchy crumbly crust. Simple to make, yet so fancy it makes a party come alive. The sunshine yellow flowers will take a powerful hold over you.
Servings Prep Time
2 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Zucchini flowers stuffed with goat's cheese
Print Recipe
Exotic soft flowers, tart interior and crunchy crumbly crust. Simple to make, yet so fancy it makes a party come alive. The sunshine yellow flowers will take a powerful hold over you.
Servings Prep Time
2 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Ingredients
Egg batter
Eggless batter
Servings: people
Instructions
  1. Open the flowers delicately with two fingers, pinch the stamen and pull it out.
    Open the flowers delicately with two fingers, pinch the stamen and pull it out.
  2. Make oblong shaped rounds of Goat's Cheese, just a little smaller than the flower that you are going to stuff it in. Compact the cheese, to make it like a small lump.
    Make oblong shaped rounds of Goat's Cheese, just a little smaller than the flower that you are going to stuff it in. Compact the cheese, to make it like a small lump.
  3. Open the petals very gently, and pop the lump of goat's cheese inside the flower. Don't push and prod too much.
  4. Gently close the mouth of the flower. Be careful not to put too much pressure.
Egg Batter
  1. Whisk egg and milk together till it is just mixed. Do not over-beat.
  2. Transfer the crumbs in a shallow plate.
  3. Dredge the stuffed flowers in the egg batter, turning it continuously. The flower should only touch the surface of the egg batter. Do not drown the flowers.
    Dredge the stuffed flowers in the egg batter, turning it continuously. The flower should only touch the surface of the egg batter. Do not drown the flowers.
  4. Gently flick away excess egg batter and now coat the flowers in the breadcrumbs.
  5. In a flat pan, take approximately 1/2 an inch of oil and fry the stuffed flowers turning it till all sides are done.
    In a flat pan, take approximately 1/2 an inch of oil and fry the stuffed flowers turning it till all sides are done.
  6. Drain in paper towel. Eat immediately.
Eggless Batter
  1. Whisk the flower in ice cold water really well, so that no lumps remain.
  2. Dredge the stuffed flowers in the excess batter, turning it continuously. The flower should only touch the surface of the excess batter. Do not drown the flowers.
  3. Gently flick away excess batter and now coat the flowers in the breadcrumbs.
  4. In a flat pan, take approximately 1/2 an inch of oil and fry the stuffed flowers turning it till all sides are done.
  5. Drain in paper towel. Serve immediately.
    Drain in paper towel. Serve immediately.
  6. In a flat pan, take approximately 1/2 an inch of oil and fry the stuffed flowers turning it till all sides are done.
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