Roasted Beet Carpaccio with Orange, Coriander Dressing and Pumpkin-Seed Crunch

01

Ingredients

• 4 medium red beets, about 600 g total, scrubbed and stems trimmed
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water, for the roasting dish
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, divided
• 2 medium oranges, about 300 g peeled flesh, plus any juice caught during segmenting
• 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon (5 g) vegan-labelled Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons (10 g) pure maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 40 g unsalted hulled pumpkin seeds
• 30 g baby arugula, washed and thoroughly dried
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, taken from one washed orange before peeling

02

Prepare the dish

1. Heat the oven to 200 C (400 F). Rub the beets with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Place in a small baking dish, add 2 tablespoons water and cover tightly with a lid or foil.
2. Roast for 50-65 minutes, depending on size, until a thin knife slides through the centre with little resistance. Leave covered for 10 minutes, then uncover and let cool until comfortable to handle. The cooking allowance includes the initial cooling period; larger beets may need longer.
3. Meanwhile, toast the coriander seeds in a dry small skillet over medium heat for 60-90 seconds, shaking the pan until fragrant. Transfer immediately to a mortar and crush coarsely.
4. Toast the pumpkin seeds in the same dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly golden and beginning to pop. Cool on a plate and chop half of them roughly; keep the remainder whole.
5. Zest one orange before peeling. Working over a bowl to catch the juice, cut the peel and white pith from both oranges. Cut between the membranes to release clean segments. Squeeze the remaining membranes into the bowl and reserve 2 tablespoons (30 ml) juice; add a little water only if needed to reach that amount.
6. Whisk the reserved 30 ml orange juice, lemon juice, Dijon, maple syrup, crushed coriander, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper into a glossy dressing.
7. Slip the skins off the warm beets using a clean towel or gloves. Let the peeled beets cool for about 10 minutes while finishing the dressing. Slice across the beets into even 1-2 mm rounds using a sharp knife or a mandoline with its hand guard; do not attempt to slice while they are too hot to hold safely.
8. Keep the beet slices separate from the orange segments until plating to avoid staining the citrus. Gently toss the dry arugula with 1 teaspoon of the dressing just before assembly; reserve all remaining dressing for the plates.