These little appetizers are always stunners at dinner parties. They remind me a bit of Alice in Wonderland because of the whimsical shape and outrageous colors: spiral striped beets, blue purple potato slices, herby white cheese, and the vivid orange of salmon roe. I love serving them as passed appetizers or showcasing them in all their glory on a large platter for guests to help themselves. For a vegetarian version, use Caviar Mustard Seeds instead of the roe.

MAKES ABOUT 20 BITES

Ingredients:

10 small purple or pink potatoes, unpeeled (about 500 g)

½ cup (120 g) Herbed Goat Cheese (see below), at room temperature

2 medium or 3 small candy cane beets (165 g total)

1 ounce (28 g) salmon roe, orange tobiko roe, or Caviar Mustard Seeds (see below)

Chopped fresh chive, dill, or chervil sprigs, to garnish (optional)

Directions:

In a large stockpot, bring 6 cups (1½ quarts/1.4 kg) water to a boil. Carefully add the potatoes and boil on medium heat for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are completely cooked through but not falling apart. Remove one potato from the boiling water to slice in half and test. Once they are easy to slice in half, strain the potatoes and set them aside to cool.

Prepare a piping bag with a size #10 piping tip or snip the end of a zip- top bag so that the tip is about half the size of a pea. Place the goat cheese in the bag and twist the end to secure.

Thinly slice the beets crosswise on a mandoline; you’ll want at least 20 thin slices. Put them in cold water to stay fresh until plating.

Remove the skins from the potatoes and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Slice the potatoes into ⅓- inch- thick rounds. Pipe a dollop of the cheese onto each round. Spoon some salmon roe on top and sprinkle herbs or scallions on top, if desired.

On the serving platter, layer the beet slices atop one another; I like to put the brightest rounds on the top layers. Arrange the purple potato goat cheese bites on the beet slices and serve. (You can make all elements of this dish ahead of time, but I recommend putting the bites together right before serving.) Note that the goat cheese must be at room temperature in order to be easily piped.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, as the roe has a short shelf life. You can toss any leftovers onto a simple salad.

Herbed Goat Cheese:

MAKES 1 CUP (475 G)

Directions:

If you mix by hand, mince the garlic with a Microplane and finely chop the herbs.

2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh or dried herbs or botanicals of your choice (see Note)

1 garlic clove

Zest from 1 lemon

One 6-ounce (450 g) goat cheese log

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the herbs, garlic, and lemon zest into tiny pieces. Add the goat cheese, salt, and lemon juice and pulse until the mixture is completely smooth. It will be thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

NOTE: Some of my favorite botanicals for this are basil, thyme, sage, oregano, herbes de Provence, marigolds, and rose petals. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Caviar Mustard Seeds:

MAKES 1 CUP (320 G)

This is a remarkably easy recipe for how intimidatingly gourmet these look and taste—but you’ll need to plan ahead to make it. Enjoy on charcuterie and cheese boards and on top of steamed vegetables, fish, or poultry.

1/4 cup (50 g) water

1/4 cup (40 g) yellow mustard seeds

2 tablespoons (16 g) seasoned rice vinegar

1 capsule probiotic powder

1 tablespoon wildflower honey

Pinch of kosher salt

In a large glass jar, add all the ingredients. Stir to combine. Cover with a lid and set in a cool place for 2 to 3 days, until the seeds absorb the liquid and ferment. They will look like caviar!

Store the mustard seeds in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.