Beet Noodle Salad
Ingredients
- 2 ea. Large Beets, peeled, tops reserved
- 2 T Lemon Juice
- 1 T Ginger, finely minced
- ¼ lb. Thin Asparagus
- Pink Salt, to taste
- Mixed Salad Greens, as needed
- Beet Crema, recipe follows
- Spearmint, for garnish
- Thai Basil, for garnish
- Cilantro Coconut Chutney, recipe follows
PREPARATION
Spiralize beets with a spiralizer, and set aside the greens for beet crema. Combine lemon juice, ginger, turmeric and salt in a large bowl, and massage the noodles until fully incorporated. Set aside to allow noodles to marinate. Slice asparagus at an angle; blanch.
To assemble, layer 1 cup of salad greens with 2 cups of beet noodles and a few asparagus spears. Drizzle with beet crema. Garnish with herbs and cilantro coconut chutney.
To make beet crema: Steam beet trimmings in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes. Trim unusable parts; set aside. Soak 2 cups of raw cashews in boiling water for 30 minutes; drain and discard water.
Transfer cashews to a blender and add 1½ cups of water to form a creamy puree. Add ½ cup cashew cream to a blender with the greens, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice; 1 teaspoon of gochugaru; ½ tablespoon each of cinnamon; nutmeg and minced ginger; ½ teaspoon each of cardamom powder and pink salt. Add ½ cup of water, and process until smooth.
To make cilantro coconut chutney: Blend 1 cup of coconut in a food processor for 1 minute; transfer to a bowl. Add ½ cup of lemon juice, ½ teaspoon each of honey and minced ginger and a generous pinch of salt, and blend for 1 minute. Add 3 bunches of cilantro leaves, and process for another minute. Stir in coconut.
Chef Nikita Villastrigo | Pharm Table, San Antonio, Texas