Apple & Beef, right back at you

So let me just preface this with saying that I think my apple and beef combo is not quite as successful as yours. Sometimes, sometimes things just aren't quite what you wanted.



Yeah OK so I'm not quite sure what's going on there. I had a cool looking thing in my head, it just didn't quite pan out as I'd hoped. I think plating it on a plate would have been better.

Anyways, what's there is some lentils, cooked in beef stock (that is the extent of the beef) plus garlic ginger and dried peppers, with 'peeled' carrot and apple on top, plus some lime juice over the works afterwards.
I really like the multi-layered effect. You can start your forkful as low as you want and end as high as you want. You can have lentils and carrots, carrots and apple, apple and lime, or any combination satisfying the linearity requirement (unless you hate linear relations and want to get creative with your fork). I like that it varies on demand as you choose, and I'm pleased that the flavours worked together. Interactive dishes are great. I'm also really pleased with the slightly-steamed apple thing going on from the lentils.
I didn't like the texture of the carrots. They were too crunchy next to the lentils and apple. Perhaps letting them soak in the lime ahead of time might have softened them a bit, but I am just trying to incorporate more raw veg into my life. I'm thinking raw carrots will just be carrot sticks on the side, though.
Also, the plating was a flop. I was hoping to have a spindly tower of carrot shavings, but they wouldn't hold up. I think if I cut the carrot shavings shorter and took more care building it, it could have worked out. Alternatively, the apples had like no problem staying mounded, so maybe putting apples down first would have worked. Maybe the carrots don't even belong there.
Could also have used some raisins but I just don't have any of those. I feel like to really come together this dish needs some nuts or something else in there.
Anyways, it is filling my tummy and I am happy.