This edition of "Local With Local" features two (actually three) ingredients that I’m passionate about: local beets, Catapano Dairy goat cheese, and local sauvignon blanc.

When I asked my partner in this project, chef Doug Gulija from The Plaza Cafe in Southampton, to create a dish to serve with Macari Vineyards’ 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, he first thought about seafood, a natural companion and the protein with which he does his wizardry at the restaurant. But, after tasting the wine in the dining room, with Joe and Alexandra Macari who were eating there, chef was blown away, telling me afterwards that he "really believes that it is one of the best sauvignon blancs the Island has produced."

But instead of pairing it with seafood, he went a different direction, coming up with Local Beet Carpaccio With Catapano Farms Goat Cheese Ravioli, to "accentuate the freshness, liveliness and touch of herbaceousness" in the wine."

Recipe after the jump.

Local Beet Carpaccio With Catapano Farms Goat Cheese Ravioli
Yield: Four Servings

Goat Cheese Ravioli:
8 oz. Catapano Goat Cheese
4 oz. Crème fraiche
1 T   Chives, minced
Ravioli dough* as needed

Combine goat cheese, crème fraiche, and minced chives. Portion on ravioli dough and cut into individual servings. Note: should you prefer not to make fresh pasta dough, wonton skins can be substituted.

Beet Carpaccio
1-2 bunches Local baby beets
4 oz. Olive Oil, Extra Virgin

Wrap beets in foil and roast at 350 degrees until tender. Cool, peel and slice very thinly in the style of carpaccio.

Beet Gastrique
1-2 bunches Local baby beets, peeled and diced
4 oz. Red wine vinegar
4 oz. Honey
4 oz. Orange juice

Caramelize vinegar and honey. Add remaining ingredients and reduce by half, strain.

Beet Salad
1 bunch Local baby beets
1 cup Micro beet shoots
4 oz. Olive Oil, Extra Virgin

Presentation:
Carefully arrange beet carpaccio on one side of plate and drizzle with olive oil. If using wonton skins for ravioli, lightly sauté and arrange three on opposite side of plate. Drizzle ravioli with gastrique and garnish center of plate with beet salad.

Thanks go out to both Chef Doug and our resident photog, Ellen Watson, for the great dish and the picture.

(A version of this recipe also appeared on Hamptons.com in my "In Season Now" column)