What inspires you? People who are doing beautiful things in the world inspire me. And that’s what this recipe today is about. Introducing Beet Tartare Lettuce Cups with Crispy Shallot.
Creating a life that I love and one that incorporates my values and beliefs is at the center of what I do everyday. Living a life that is of service to others and one that allows me the time and space to actually live and enjoy my life has driven me to build my home business and my blog. I am constantly inspired by people who are doing good things in the world. I admire people who build dreams into beautiful realities. And I have a deep respect for people who create space for others to be nurtured and to heal.
Know what else inspires me? People who are doing amazing things with food. By amazing, I mean making healthy, nourishing food that is beautiful and creative. And that brings us to today’s recipe.
About a week ago, I saw a picture of something really lovely on my Instagram feed. My friends at The Lotus Feed, a 108 acre wellness retreat center in Occidental, California, posted a picture of something that I couldn’t get out of my mind. It was an image of little gems (baby romaine leaves) stuffed with beet tartare. The recipe was created by one of their kitchen goddesses as part of one of their hosted retreats, and the caption described the fresh grated horseradish, capers, and crispy shallots. I had to try this!
OK, so what the heck is beet tartare anyway? Tartare is a finely chopped dish that is served raw. The beets in this recipe are not actually served raw. It’s more of a play on the word “beef tartare” and is a vegetable version of a carnivorous dish. But it still has the same elements of capers and other savory flavors. The fresh grated horseradish is the perfect compliments to the earthy sweetness of the beets.
Lucky for me, the gal who runs The Lotus Feed also happens to be one of my beloved yoga teachers. I have watched her over the years take her family farm and turn it into enchanted wellness getaway with amazing permaculture gardens, outdoor yoga deck overlooking the coastline, an indoor Bindu yoga yurt, a pond, and gardens. My favorite part is that they also have an 80 foot communal dining table as food and deep nourishment is a core value of what they do. And they cook amazing, creative farm fresh food for the retreats and weddings that they host on their beautiful land. Be sure to follow them on Instagram HERE.
OK, I’m getting to the recipe. After experimenting a few times at home with making beet tartare, my yoga teacher told me the secret to this recipe. It’s all about the crispy shallots. Basically, you cook the crispy shallots in a good quality oil like avocado oil and then use the cooking oil in the recipe itself. I was already blown away by the delicate sweetness of the crispy shallots, but now infused crispy shallot oil! Freaking brilliant!
The recipe is actually quite simple. Roasted beets chopped fine. A bit of capers and parsley. And then a light dressing of crispy shallot infused oil, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, and salt and pepper. Add in a bit of fresh grated horseradish and crispy shallots. Pure heaven!
They can be served on large lettuce cups for the perfect salad side for dinner. Or serve on smaller lettuce cups as a fun appetizer for a party or potluck. Either way, your guests will love it! You can even use the beet tartare as a topping for a salad or as a sandwich spread. It’s beyond good paired with a bit of avocado. So many options.
Like I said, I experimented a bit to get the recipe just right. I served these beet tartare lettuce cups at a little dinner party that we had. The horseradish was a bit intense for my Little One, but she was happy to make lemonade spritzers for our guest with lemon balm that she picked from the garden. Love her! 
This recipe is definitely a keeper for me. A big thanks The Lotus Feed for the inspiration. It’s my kind of food. Nourishing, healthy, local, and organic. Hope you enjoy!
xo,
Katja
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PinIngredients
- 4 beets
- oil for rubbing
- 1/4 cup avocado oil (like this)
- 1/2 cup shallots, peeled and sliced thin
- 1 tsp dijon mustard (like this)
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (or balsamic)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- pinch of black pepper
- 1 tbsp capers, minced (like this)
- 2 tbsp parsley, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh horseradish, grated (plus more for garnish)
- baby romaine leaves for cups (or any other baby lettuce you like)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400’F. Wash and trim beets, and rub lightly with avocado oil. Roast in a cover dish in oven for 40-50 minutes, until fork tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- In a medium skillet, heat 1/4 cup of avocado oil on medium-high heat. Saute sliced shallots in hot oil until crispy and brown, stirring occasionally, about 7-8 minutes. Then using a fine mesh sieve over a bowl, carefully pour oil and crispy shallots though to strain out the oil. Allow crispy shallots to drain on a paper towel while you prepare rest of recipe.
- In a small bowl combine strained avocado oil, dijon, vinegar, salt, and pepper to make dressing Set aside.
- Once beets are cool, peel and dice into tiny cubes. Add capers and parsley. And drizzle on dressing. Toss to combine. Adjust for salt and pepper.
- Add grated horseradish and toss again.
- Fill lettuce cups with small scoops of beet tartare and garnish with more grated horseradish and crispy shallots. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
COOKING TIPS:
-Beets can be roasted the day before to save on cooling time.
-Beet tartare can be made in advance and served later. Store well in fridge for 1-3 days.
-If fresh horseradish is not available or not your thing, try fresh grated fennel bulb or goat cheese. Both pair well with beets.
-When making crispy shallots, keep shallots around the sides of your pan (not the center) for more even cooking.
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Lisa says
February 5, 2019 at 1:08 pmHi Katja,
I am thinking about making this recipe in quantity for an event. I need 40-50 appetizer size servings. Your recipe does not include lettuce. What variety of lettuce would you recommend? Thanks in advance.
Katja Heino says
February 6, 2019 at 12:55 pmHi, Lisa! This makes an excellent party appetizer. I used little gems (aka baby romaine), but you can use whatever baby lettuce you can find. I’ve also served this over endive cups. Hope that helps. 🙂