We spent last year's New Year's Eve at one of our favorite 5 star restaurants, The Inn at Little Washington. Our magical evening started with a spectacular amuse-bouche consisting of four tasting spoons with a rock shrimp with avocado, a tasty slurp of oyster, a crunchy bite of pear wrapped in prosciutto, and a delightfully refreshing beet horseradish and cranberry mousse. For me, the beet horseradish and cranberry mousse was especially memorable and I decided to create my own version of this special dish.
Ingredients:
1 medium beet
6 ounces cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1-2 tablespoons horseradish powder (optional)
1 cup cream
Directions:
Cook the beet in a boiling salted water until tender, about 20-30 minutes. Peel and cut up in small pieces.
Combine cranberries, sugar, and water in a small pot. Bring to boil. Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over the chicken stock and let it soften. Add to the cranberries, lower the heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add beets, cranberries, and horseradish to the food processor and blend. Strain the mixture. Season with salt and horseradish powder for additional heat.
In a separate bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks. Fold in the beet horseradish cranberry mixture. Divide into serving glasses or ramekins and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
