Wes Martin's Beet “Carpaccio” with Sweet and Tart Maple Drizzle

Ingredients

2 large red beets, peeled
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lemon, plus more as needed
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Yields: Serves 4

Preparation

Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water and set aside. Using a mandolin slicer or very sharp knife, slice the beets into paper thin slices. Drop them into the boiling water and cook until softened but still firm to the bite, about 5 minutes. Transfer the beets to the ice water with a strainer and cool completely. Lay the slices out on a paper towel-lined plate to dry.

Meanwhile, bring the maple syrup and vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Continue cooking until the liquid has large thick bubbles at the top and the liquid has reduced to about 1/4 cup. Remove from heat, squeeze the lemon juice into it and stir. Be careful – it is extremely hot! Let the mixture stand until cool.

To assemble the carpaccio, lay the beet slices in a single layer, slightly overlapping, on each of 4 salad plates. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the parsley leaves and toss to coat. Drizzle about 2 teaspoons of the maple mixture over each plate of beet slices, followed by a scattering of parsley leaves and almonds. Lightly season each plate with salt and pepper and serve immediately.