grilled beef heart with roasted golden beets Preparing a beef heart is not for the faint of heart! Grilled to medium rare and sliced thinly though, tasters kept in the dark could mistake the heart for a lean piece of meat.
1 beef heart, about 2 to 3 pounds Salt and pepper Marinade 1 cup orange juice 1½ cups white wine 12 sprigs fresh thyme, crushed 3 cloves garlic, crushed, skin on Splash of extra-virgin olive oil
Beets 3 bunches baby golden beets, leaves and stems removed and washed 1 bunch thyme 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and washed 1 cup orange juice 1 cup water 2 heads garlic, split in half Extra-virgin olive oil Ground fennel seeds Horseradish Vinaigrette ¼ cup Champagne vinegar 1½ cups extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons orange juice ¼ cup finely grated horseradish
Remove sinew and gristle from heart; quarter or cut into 2 by 6-inch pieces. Mix orange juice, wine, thyme, garlic, and olive oil in a bowl; let the flavors blend for 1 hour before use. Pour mixture over beef heart and marinate for 2 hours in the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the beets, thyme, parsley, orange juice, water, garlic, and enough olive oil to coat in a roasting pan. Season with fennel seeds, salt, and pepper to taste. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake until knife tender, about 45 minutes. Carefully remove foil and let cool. Remove the beet skins by rubbing with a cloth. Cut beets into rounds and quarters. Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients. In a bowl, toss beets with enough vinaigrette to coat, or to taste. Remove heart from marinade and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill the heart to medium-rare, about 3 minutes on each side, depending on thickness. To serve, divide the beets among individual plates or place on one large serving platter. Top with thinly sliced beef heart. For garnish, grate fresh horseradish over heart and drizzle with a bit of extra-virgin olive oil, if desired. Serves 8 as an appetizer or 4 as a main dish
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