MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

      Title: Faux Beefsteak Tartare
 Categories: Vegetables, Chiles
      Yield: 4 Servings
 
      3 lb Large plum tomatoes;
           - cored, halved lengthwise
      2 tb Shallots; fine chopped
      1 sm Beet; peeled, 1/2" dice
      1 cl Garlic; minced
      1 ts Dijon mustard
      1 ts Soy sauce
      1 ts Capers;
           - drained, fine chopped
      1 ts Chives; minced
      1 ts Extra-virgin olive oil
    1/2 ts Sugar
           Hot pepper sauce
    1/2 c  Shallot dressing
           Basil oil;
           - for drizzling (optional)
 
  Equipment:

  nonstick bakeware liner such as a Silpat or parchment paper;
  cheesecloth;
  3" round cookie cutter or ring mold
  
  Accompaniment: Gruyère chips
  
  Garnish: minced chives
  
  Preheat oven to 250°F/120°C with rack in middle. Line a large
  shallow baking pan with liner and arrange tomatoes, cut sides up,
  in 1 layer in pan. Roast 3 hours, then cool to warm.
  
  While tomatoes roast, blanch shallots in a small saucepan of
  boiling water 1 minute, then drain. Pat dry between paper towels.
  
  Cover beet with cold water by 1" in a small saucepan and bring to a
  boil. Simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Remove beet with a slotted
  spoon and discard, then boil beet-cooking liquid until reduced by
  half, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
  
  Discard skin, seeds, and inner membranes from tomatoes, leaving
  outer "shells". Chop tomatoes and transfer to a large double layer
  of rinsed and squeezed cheesecloth. Working over a bowl to catch
  juices, wring out tomatoes in cheesecloth to remove excess liquid
  (reserve juices for another use) and transfer tomatoes to a bowl.
  Stir in shallots, 1 tb beet-cooking liquid (to "color" tomatoes),
  garlic, mustard, soy sauce, capers, chives, oil, sugar, Tabasco,
  and salt & pepper to taste. Chill, covered, at least 1 hour.
  
  To Assemble:

  Place cutter in center of a plate and fill with 1/4th of tomato
  mixture. Do not press down; the looser the mixture is packed, the
  more it will resemble beef tartare. Lift up cutter and repeat on
  3 more plates with remaining tomato mixture. Spoon about 2 tb
  shallot dressing around each "tartare" and drizzle lightly with
  basil oil, if using. Place 2 Gruyère chips into each serving and
  sprinkle with chives.
  
  Note: Tomato mixture can be chilled up to 1 day.
  
  Adapted FROM: Happy In The Kitchen by Michel Richard
  
  Recipe FROM: Gourmet Magazine, Feb 2008
  
  Formatted by: Dave Drum, Apr 09, 2009
  
  Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives
 
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