Cubist Deconstruction Appetizer (Print View)

A fresh, colorful appetizer featuring vegetables, fruits, and cheese cut into geometric shapes and beautifully arranged.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 small cucumber, peeled
02 - 1 medium golden beet, cooked and peeled
03 - 1 medium watermelon radish, peeled
04 - 1 ripe avocado

→ Cheese

05 - 3.5 ounces block feta cheese

→ Fruit

06 - 1 ripe mango, peeled

→ Garnishes & Seasoning

07 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
09 - Flaky sea salt, to taste
10 - Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
11 - Microgreens or fresh herbs (basil, cilantro), for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Slice all vegetables and fruits into various geometric shapes such as triangles, parallelograms, hexagons, and irregular polygons approximately 0.4 inches thick using a sharp knife or small cookie cutters.
02 - Cut the block feta cheese into geometric cubes or prisms that complement the produce shapes.
03 - On a large flat serving platter, position the vegetable, fruit, and cheese pieces closely side-by-side without overlapping to create a cubist-style mosaic.
04 - Drizzle extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice evenly over the arranged pieces.
05 - Sprinkle flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper across the platter.
06 - Finish with microgreens or fresh herbs to enhance color and freshness.
07 - Present the arrangement promptly to maintain the clean lines and vibrant appearance.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks stunning enough to photograph, yet requires zero cooking—just sharp knife skills and a little patience with your platter
  • Every bite surprises you with different textures and flavors meeting unexpectedly, like finding hidden meaning in an abstract painting
  • It's naturally vegetarian, gluten-free, and adaptable to whatever beautiful produce you find at the market
02 -
  • Don't skip cooking your beet ahead of time—a raw beet is too hard and won't cut cleanly into your geometric shapes. But do let it cool completely before cutting, so you don't burn your fingers and the knife glides smoothly
  • The avocado is your X-factor. If it's not ripe, the whole dish suffers. It should yield to gentle pressure but not be mushy. If you're worried about timing, cut it just before serving, not hours ahead
  • Your knife sharpness matters enormously. A dull knife will crush the vegetables and create jagged edges that destroy your geometric vision. A sharp knife will glide through like butter and give you the clean lines that make this dish sing
03 -
  • Use cocktail picks as serving utensils so people can taste individual elements or combinations—this isn't meant to be cut into bites at the table, but rather picked at and savored piece by piece
  • Golden beet and watermelon radish are the non-negotiables. Everything else can change based on what you find at the market, but these two provide the visual and flavor foundation
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