OLDSMAR, Fla. — Shaker and Peel in Oldsmar is known for reinventing the taco but now they are taking salad to a new level.
As in the Un-Beet-Able Salad.
Chef Benjamin Bowman adds in some ricotta, whole milk, heavy cream and red and yellow beats to make a new fresh dish!
"With the champagne vinaigrette..." said Bowman. "About 2 oz of this dressing, you want to have plenty of dressing on there to kind of soak everything up.
"Finish this with a little bit of micro-greens and that's an Unbeetable salad."
Ingredients
Bulk beets 8 oz
Bulk house-made Ricotta 3 oz
Bulk Champagne Vinaigrette 2 fl oz
Bulk candied Pistachios 1 1/2 fl oz
Micro greens Mardi Gras 0.1 oz
Bulk Basil Oil1/2 Tbsp
Salt-Black Lava 1/4 tsp
Spice-Pink Peppercorns 1/4 tsp
Directions
Beet cooking
Beets-gold and red 4 Lb
Water 8 Qt
Salt-kosher 0.5 Cup
Lemon juice, fresh squeezed 0.5 Cup
****note: cook red and yellow beets separate***
1. Wash beets and place into a pot and bring to a boil
2. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 20-30 mins or until a knife can easily be inserted of the largest beet
3. Leave in liquid
4. Cool, label and store
Ricotta
Heavy cream 2 Qt
Vinegar-white 8 Tbsp
Lemon juice, fresh squeezed 8 Tbsp
Salt-kosher 4 Tbsp
1. Mix ingredients together in a saucepot and heat on stove
2. Bring mixture to a very low simmer for 5-7 mins allowing curds to form. Do not boil!
3. Place 2 layers of cheesecloth in a china cap strainer placed into cambro
4. Pour mixture through cheesecloth and allow to sit at room temperature while liquid drains
5. Place in walk- in and allow mixture to cool for at least 2 hours
6. Squeeze excess liquid through cheesecloth
7. Allow mixture to cool in cheesecloth for an additional 6 hours
8. Remove cheese from cheesecloth and place in airtight container
9. Keep chilled for service
Champagne vinaegrette
Vinegar-champagne 2 Cup
Egg large 1 Each
Sugar 1.5 Cup
Mustard-dijon 0.5 Cup
Salt-kosher 2 Tbsp
Spice-ground black pepper 0.75 Tbsp
Garlic, minced 0.25 Cup
Oil-blended 0.5 Gal
Scallions, minced 2 Tbsp
Basil fresh, minced 2 Tbsp
1. Mix all ingredients except for oil, basil, and scallions
2. Mix with immersion blender and slowly drizzle oil until emulsified
3. Whisk in scallions and basil
4. Label and store for service
Candied pistachios
Pistachios 4 Cup
Sugar 8 Tbsp
Salt-kosher 1 Tbsp
Water 1 Tbsp
1. Heat all ingredients, except water in a saute pan over medium heat, stirring constantly
2. Sugar will start to dissolve and coat pistachios, continue stirring until mixture is hot
3. Add water and allow all sugar to dissolve
4. Carmalize sugar slowly, being careful not to burn mixture
5. Cool on a sheet tray at room temperature
6. Label and store in air-tight container
Plating the Salad
Place 12 red and 12 gold beets onto rectangle plate
Top with 3 oz. ricotta and 1 ½ fl oz. pistachios
Drizzle champagne vinegar over entire plate
Garnish with micro greens, ½ Tbsp. basil oil, ¼ tsp black lava salt and ¼ tsp ground pink peppercorns