Maricopa High School presented this dish at the 2019 Harvest Moon Feast. Chef Mahon always has his vegan wife, Tracey, in mind when developing high-end plant-based recipes.
By Greg Mahon, Culinary Arts Teacher
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beets, peeled and cut into small dice
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon tamari (soy sauce)
- 1½ tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 2—3 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 cup Just Mayo (vegan)
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup tapioca pearls
- 3 tablespoons tamari (soy sauce)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup small dice papaya
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 4 tablespoons almond flour
- 1½ tablespoons arrowroot flour
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1—2 tablespoons activated charcoal
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons nut milk
- Vegetable oil as needed
Instructions
Beet Tartare:
Place beet cubes in a pan with water and salt. Simmer on low heat for 15—20 minutes, until tender (easily pierced by a fork). While the beets are simmering, whisk together the remaining tartare ingredients. Remove from heat, drain water and place beets in a bowl.
Mix with tartare marinade while still warm. Set aside to cool.
Rice Wine Vinegar Aioli:
In a medium-size bowl, whisk together vegan mayo and rice wine vinegar until smooth, adding salt as needed. Set aside.
Soy Tapioca Pearls:
In a small pan, bring water to a boil and add tapioca pearls and cook till translucent (about 10 minutes). Strain, add tamari and toss lightly. Set aside.
Pickled Papaya:
In a medium saucepan, add sugar, rice wine vinegar, salt and water and bring to a boil until sugar dissolves. Allow to cool a bit then pour over diced papaya. Set aside.
Charcoal Waffle Cone:
To make the waffle cone, use a silicone whisk to whisk together the chia seeds, almond flour, arrowroot flour and sugar in a large glass bowl until pale and thickened. Gradually whisk in the charcoal powder until well combined. Next, whisk in melted butter and vanilla extract until smooth. Finally, whisk in the nut milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. The batter should be thick, but stir in more milk if you feel it’s needed. The thicker the mixture the sturdier the shell will be.
Next, if you have a waffle cone machine, heat it per manufacturer’s instruction. Brush machine surface with oil. Place 1—1½ tablespoons batter onto the middle of the machine, then gently close and press firmly for 3 seconds. No waffle cone maker? Pour batter 1½ tablespoons at a time onto a nonstick pan; cook on both sides.
To assemble, bend waffle cone into a taco shape; fill with beets; garnish with soy pearls, pickled papaya and a drizzle of aioli.
About this recipe
Maricopa High School, Maricopa
Top: C-CAP Student Team 2019
Bottom: Mentor: Beau MacMillan, Executive Chef, Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa, Paradise Valley
