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December 19, 2007
View Comments | Post CommentMint Beet Cubes
I wanted something visually and texturally interesting to go with my lamb dish, so I decided to make some gel cubes. I was already including roasted beets and a sweetened beet sauce for the lamb, so I figured I might as well include another interpretation of beet. So, I decided on mint beet cubes, playing on the traditional (but bad) pairing of lamb and mint.
These turned out looking perfectly (which was really why I wanted them anyway), and the texture was exactly what I was hoping for. In terms of taste, the mint came through well, as did the beet, but if eaten on its own, it wasn't anything special. Possibly because they're served room temperature, they don't seem all that flavorful. Next time I'd add some acid and double the sugar.
Mint Beet Cubes
Makes about 200 grams? Makes more little cubes than I can imagine anyone using with a dinner. Prep time: 20 minutes. Cooling time: 30 minutes.The ingredients:
200 g beets, peeled and sliced (about 2 normal sized beets)
handful of mint leaves (um, maybe 20 grams?)
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
1 tbsp (15 g) sugar
pinch of salt
2.5 g agar agar (I got mine from here)
* Next time I make this, I'll try adding some acid (1/4 tsp lemon juice) and an extra tablespoon of sugar.
The algorithm:
Take the slices of beet and boil them for 10 minutes or so in a few cups of water, until they are tender. Strain them, but save the water. Put the beet slices in a blender, along with a tablespoon or two of the cooking water. Add the mint leaves, the sugar, the salt, and then puree until smooth.
Pour the puree back into a saucepan, sprinkle the agar agar in while stirring, and bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally. Then pour into a small receptacle such as tupperware in order for it to set (preferably something with a flat bottom, but anything will do). Toss it in the fridge, wait 30 minutes for it to set completely, then unmold it and slice into cubes (or other desired shapes).
Posted by Barzelay at December 19, 2007 11:52 PM | Comments (0) | Food Additives, Veggies, Fruit, Grain, Cheese
