Not a typo. Boldly seasoned and finely chopped, these beets have the earthy taste of classic beef tartare, and look the part too. Not to mention the fact that they’re about a tenth of the cost per pound for the kind of top quality beef you need when serving meat raw. Use a mix of mostly Chioggia (candy-striped) and some red beets for the most convincing color. We like baby beets here, as they are sweeter and more tender than the larger ones. Serve with potato chips for the perfect crunchy-soft bite.
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What you’ll need
Rimmed Baking Sheet
$32 At Amazon
Mesh Sieve
$16 At Amazon
Small Skillet
$25 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 400°. Wrap 1 lb. baby beets (mix of red and Chioggia), trimmed, scrubbed, in a few layers of foil, place on a rimmed baking sheet, and roast until tender (a paring knife should easily slide through flesh), about 1 hour. Let cool. Using paper towels, rub skins to remove and cut beets into ¼" pieces.
Step 2
Heat 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, one 2-oz. jar capers, drained, and ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a small skillet over medium, adjusting heat as needed to keep oil at a simmer, until garlic is golden and capers have burst, 8–12 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a small heatproof bowl. Turn garlic and capers out onto paper towels; set oil aside.
Step 3
Mix beets, 1 medium shallot, finely chopped, 2 Tbsp. finely chopped pickled cherry or other hot peppers, 1 Tbsp. mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar, 2 tsp. coarse mustard, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 2 Tbsp. reserved oil in a medium bowl to combine. Cover and let sit 15–45 minutes to marinate.
Step 4
Just before serving, stir 1 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley and half of fried garlic and capers into beet mixture. Scoop beet tartare onto a platter and top with parsley leaves and remaining fried garlic and capers. Serve beet tartare with salted potato chips or pita chips for scooping.
Do Ahead: Beets can be roasted, peeled, and chopped 2 days ahead; transfer to an airtight container. Cover and chill. Tartare (without toppings) can be made 8 hours ahead; cover and chill.
