If you happen to be lucky enough to get your hands on Chioggia beets (also known as candy-striped or candy cane beets), it would almost be a shame not to prepare them in a way that truly shows off their beautiful white and pale pink rings.
The idea for this recipe comes from a small cookbook on raw food by Gitte Heidi Rasmussen, published by Gyldendal in 2011, which I can warmly recommend.
Ingredients
1 large Chioggia beet or 2 small ones, 1 dl walnuts, 2–4 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, 1 lemon, 1 tsp flake salt, Thick balsamic vinegar (balsamic glaze)
How to prepare
Peel the Chioggia beet(s) and slice them ultra-thin. The key to this recipe is slicing the beet paper-thin across the stripes — this is what makes both the texture and the visual effect work. I personally use a vegetable peeler.
Squeeze the lemon and place the beet slices directly into the lemon juice. Sprinkle with flake salt and let the slices marinate in the lemon juice for at least 15 minutes, and up to 24 hours.
Finely chop the sun-dried tomatoes and walnuts with a knife until you have a coarse paste.
Arrange the beet slices in a thin layer on a plate. Spoon or scatter the walnut paste over the top and finish by decorating with balsamic glaze.
A small but important note
I tried making this dish several times without success — simply because my beet slices weren’t thin enough. If the slices are too thick, the dish won’t work. Patience really matters here.
But once you get it right… you’re in for a treat 😊
In the picture below I made it with yellow beets which also works fine.
Raw Food Nordic 