This is a veggie version of an all-time favourite dish. Earthy, ruby-red beets are pickled to add sweet and sour notes, then bound with sour cream and traditional tartare garnishes.
SERVES
6
TO
8
Ingredients
Pickling Liquid
2 cups (470ml) water
2 cups (470ml) apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon (15ml) salt
1 tablespoon (15ml) sugar
2 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
2 sprigs dill
1 teaspoon (5ml) black peppercorns
1 teaspoon (5ml) coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml) ground nutmeg
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons (10ml) marmite
Beets
4 large red beets
4 cups (950ml) pickling liquid
Assemble
2 small shallots
8 gherkins
1/4 cup (60ml) sour cream
1/4 teaspoon (1.25ml) dijon mustard
Salt and black pepper, to season
Hot sauce
Root vegetable chips, to garnish
Chives, finely chopped, for garnish
Directions
Pickling Liquid
In a large pot, combine the water, vinegar, salt, and sugar, and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat to a simmer and add the thyme, rosemary, dill, peppercorns, coriander seeds, nutmeg, garlic, and Marmite.
Remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to steep.
Beets
Place the beets into a medium-sized saucepan. Cover with cold water.
Bring to a simmer and cook beets until tender all the way through, roughly one hour.
Peel the beets and cut them into small dice. Reserve half of the diced beets.
Place the other half of the diced beets in a non-reactive container and strain the Pickling Liquid over until covered. Allow sitting for two hours.
Strain the beets and discard the liquid.
Assemble
Finely mince the shallots and gherkins. Place into separate bowls and reserve.
In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and Dijon. Mix until well combined and set aside.
Place the pickled and unpickled beets in a medium-sized, chilled bowl. Season well with salt and pepper.
Add hot sauce to taste.
Gently mix in the shallots and gherkins, until well combined.
Stir in the sour cream mixture until well combined.
Place a ring mould on a chilled plate.
Carefully spoon a portion of beet mixture into the mould, patting it down so it’s flat and even.
Remove the ring mould.
Garnish the disc of beet tartare with the root chips and chopped chives on top.
Repeat with the remaining mixture and serve immediately. Enjoy!