Friday, March 19, 2010

Make Beet Caviar With Xanthan Gum

Beet caviar is a combination of chopped cooked beets and a wet ingredient, such as oil or vinegar, to make it into creamy mixture. It is not technically caviar, a culinary term that refers to fish eggs, but rather more like a spread or dip. A possible problem with beet caviar is that the chopped beet pieces will separate and not form a soft mixture. This can be solved by using xanthan gum, a powder made from ground corn that holds ingredients together.


Instructions


1. Set your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse one beet underneath cold running water and scrub away any outer grime with a nylon scrubbing brush. Pat the beet dry with a clean towel.


2. Cut off the beet's stem and leaves and discard. Wrap the beet tightly with aluminum foil and place directly into your oven, as you would when baking a potato. Roast the beet for about 45 minutes to one hour, or until it is softened.


3. Remove the beet from the aluminum foil and wait until it is cool enough to handle. Remove the outer skin with a vegetable peeler, then chop the beet into pieces as small as possible.


4. Place the chopped beet pieces into a large bowl, then drizzle them with 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil, 1/2 tsp. of xanthan gum and salt and pepper to taste. Stir the ingredients together until they are thoroughly combined.


5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and transfer the caviar into your refrigerator. Keep it in the refrigerator for one day before serving so the flavors have time to blend and the caviar can firm.







Tags: aluminum foil, beet pieces, chopped beet, chopped beet pieces, ingredients together