Day 1
Crème Fraiche
½ cup cultured buttermilk
1½ cup heavy cream
Mix ingredients and allow to sit overnight until thickened. Refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Pickle Brine
2 cups distilled vinegar
2 cups apple
cider vinegar
2 cups water
½ cup sugar
1 ounce mustard seeds
1 pinch chili flakes
2 teaspoons black
peppercorns
2 cardamom pods
2 cloves
¼ cup salt
2 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
Bring all ingredients to a simmer. Let sit for 30 minutes. Strain and chill overnight.
Day 2
Roasted Beets
3 medium beets, any color
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 pinch salt
1 pinch pepper
Oil and season beets. Roast in a 400-degree oven for about 1 hour, until a skewer can be inserted in without resistance. Allow beets to rest for 1/2- hour. Peel, dice and refrigerate.
Pickled Shrimp
1 recipe pickle brine (see above)
1 pound shrimp,
peeled and deveined
Split the pickle brine in half; place 1/2 in the freezer for 1 hour and place /2 in a small pot and bring to a simmer. Place shrimp in pot and poach until barely cooked, about 1 minute. Strain out shrimp and place in semi-frozen brine. Stir until shrimp are cooled. Refrigerate shrimp in brine.
Dill Crème Fraiche
2 ounces dill
2 cups crème fraiche
1 pinch salt
1 pinch pepper
Chop dill and mix all ingredients. Refrigerate.
Day 3
Compose Plate
Dill crème fraiche
Roasted beets
Pickled shrimp
Shaved raw golden or chiogga beets
Arugula
1 pinch salt
1 pinch black pepper
Olive oil
Place a smear of crème fraiche on a plate. Place 5 or 6 pieces of roasted beet on top of crème fraiche. In a mixing bowl, combine 3 pickled shrimp, 6 or 7 slices of raw beet, a generous pinch of arugula, seasoning, a drizzle of olive oil and 1/2-Tablespoon pickle brine. Mix and place salad on top of beets.
Primitivo
1800 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.,
881-1775
