Vegetable Carpaccio
For the Berbere Drizzle
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons safflower oil
1 tablespoon Berbere Spice Blend (recipe follows)
For the Garlic Drizzle
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons water
2 garlic cloves
Sea salt, to taste
3 tablespoon safflower oil
1 kohlrabi (see note), peeled
1 watermelon radish, peeled
1 daikon radish, peeled
4 red radishes
3 small (or 1 medium) beet, peeled
Sea salt, to taste
1 cup watercress, roughly chopped
To prepare the Berbere drizzle, combine the sesame oil, safflower oil, and Berbere spice blend. Stir to combine and set aside.
To make the garlic drizzle, combine the lemon juice, water, and garlic in a blender. Add a pinch of sea salt and purée to make a paste. With the blender running, slowly stream in the oil and blend until an emulsified mixture forms. Refrigerate until needed.
Use a mandolin to slice the kohlrabi, radishes, and beet into paper thin, translucent slices. Try and choose vegetables that are roughly the same diameter, about 2 to 3 inches, for a uniform presentation. Reserve each vegetable separately.
Arrange the sliced vegetables on individual salad plates in rows, arcs, or circles that cover the entire surface of the plate (at this point, the plates can be made ahead, covered, and refrigerated).
Sprinkle the vegetables with sea salt, to taste, and top with watercress. Drizzle the plates with the garlic drizzle, then the Berbere drizzle, and serve immediately.
Serves 6
Nutrition information per serving: 127 calories; 79 calories from fat; 9 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 401 mg sodium; 13 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 2 g protein.
Culinary Institute of America
Berbere Spice Blend
1 teaspoon fenugreek seed
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
5 allspice berries
7 cardamom pods, husks removed
4 whole cloves
2 dried New Mexican red chilies, stem and seeds removed (Very spicy chilies de arbol (5 to 6 each) or milder guajillo chilies (2 each) can be used in lieu of New Mexican red chilies)
½ teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons smoked sweet paprika
2¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Heat a dry saute pan over medium heat. Add the fenugreek, coriander, peppercorns, allspice, cardamom, and cloves and toast until aromatic, about 1 minute. Transfer to spice grinder.
Tear the chilies into small pieces and add to the same pan. Toast until aromatic and beginning to blister, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the grinder with the spices.
Add the onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon to the spice grinder and blend to a fine even powder. Makes about ¾ cup. Store in an airtight jar until needed.
Culinary Institute of America