Inspired by Eleven Madison Park's iconic Carrot Tartare, this recipe brings the elegance of fine dining to your home kitchen, transforming simple carrots into a vibrant, flavorful appetizer.
**Prepare Carrots:** The most crucial step is the dicing. Using a sharp chef's knife, cut the peeled carrots into very fine, uniform brunoise (tiny 1/8-inch cubes). This will take time and patience, but is essential for the authentic tartare texture. Alternatively, you can finely grate the carrots and then chop them further for a similar, though slightly less precise, texture.
**Mince Aromatics:** Finely mince the shallot, capers, and cornichons. Chop the chives and parsley.
**Combine Ingredients:** In a medium bowl, combine the finely diced carrots, minced shallot, capers, cornichons, chives, and parsley.
**Dress the Tartare:** Add the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and smoked paprika (if using) to the carrot mixture. Mix gently but thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined and the carrots are lightly coated.
**Season and Chill:** Season the tartare generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed – you might want more lemon juice, Dijon, or salt. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
**Prepare Accompaniments:** While the tartare chills, slice the baguette diagonally into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Toast them lightly in a toaster, oven, or on a grill pan until golden and crisp. Alternatively, separate endive leaves for a gluten-free option.
**Serve:** To serve, use a ring mold (about 3-inch diameter) placed on individual serving plates to shape the tartare into neat disks, gently pressing down. Carefully lift the mold. If you don't have a mold, simply spoon the tartare onto the plates and gently shape it with the back of a spoon. Garnish with a sprinkle of extra chives or a tiny sprig of parsley. Serve immediately with the toasted baguette slices or endive leaves.