Cubist Deconstruction Appetizer (Printable)

Geometric-cut veggies, fruits, and feta create a visually striking, fresh appetizer with bold textures and flavors.

# What You Need:

→ 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 oz feta cheese block, not crumbled

→ Fruit

06 - 1 ripe mango, peeled

→ Garnishes & Seasoning

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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Slice all vegetables and fruits into a variety of geometric shapes about 0.4 inch thick, using a sharp knife or small cookie cutters for precision.
02 - Cut feta cheese into geometric cubes or prisms to complement the arrangement.
03 - Place vegetable, fruit, and cheese pieces closely without overlapping on a large flat serving platter to create a cubist-style mosaic.
04 - Drizzle extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice evenly over the assembled pieces.
05 - Sprinkle flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
06 - Top with microgreens or fresh herbs for color and freshness; serve immediately to maintain presentation integrity.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's a conversation starter that looks far more complicated than it actually is, making you feel like a culinary artist without needing any special cooking skills
  • Every bite surprises you with a different flavor and texture combination, since you're not quite sure which ingredient will meet your fork next
  • It celebrates fresh, whole ingredients in their purest form, so you really taste the quality of what you're working with
02 -
  • Always cut your avocado last, literally moments before serving. Even a few minutes of exposure to air will dull its bright green and turn the edges brown, and that softness is what makes it look fresh on the plate
  • The quality of your oil matters enormously here, since there's nowhere for inferior ingredients to hide. Taste your olive oil before you pour it; you'll notice the difference immediately
  • If you're cooking the beet yourself, a little trick: roast it wrapped in foil so it steams slightly and becomes impossibly tender and easier to peel. The color stays more vivid too
03 -
  • If you don't have cookie cutters, a steady hand and a sharp knife are all you need. Geometry is about angles and lines, and your knife can create those just as well as any tool
  • This recipe is forgiving with substitutions. Use whatever colorful vegetables are in season and at their peak. The only rule is that they should be beautiful raw, because that's all you're doing with them
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