Crab Meat & Beet Puree on Granny Smith Apple

Preheat oven to 450. Trim beet, leaving about 1″ stem and wrap tightly in foil. In a small baking pan, roast beet in middle of oven until tender, about 1 hour. Break up crab meat and stir together w chives, lemon juice, 1 T sour cream and s&p. May be made 6 hours ahead and chilled. Unwrap beet carefully. When beet is just cool enough to handle, slip off skin and stem and cut beet into a few pieces. While still warm, mash beet w mortar and pestle. In small bowl, stir beet w vinegar, remaining .5 T sour cream and s&p. May be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Cut apple through stem into quarters. Core. Cut crosswise into 1/4″ slices. Top each w .25 tsp beet puree and some crab mix. Makes about 32

Beets    1med
Crab    0.5lb jumbo lump
Chives   1.5T
Lemon Juice, Fresh   1.5tsp
Sour Cream  1.5T
Vinegar    1tsp
Apples    1lg Granny Smith