Beef Tartare is a classic French appetizer that highlights the taste of fresh raw meat combined with spicy notes of spices, herbs, and other ingredients. Although the dish may look simple, its unique flavor bouquet and texture can impress even the most discerning gourmets.Beef tartare has a rich cultural background. The history of this dish dates back to the nomadic tribes of the Mongols, who transported raw meat under their saddles to make it softer. However, the modern version of tartare was first introduced in France as part of haute cuisine. The classic recipe usually includes raw beef, egg yolk, capers, onion, mustard, and various spices. It is served with toast or grissini, adding a textural contrast. To create the perfect tartare, it is important to use the freshest meat and chop the ingredients as finely as possible. We decided to complement our tartare with a touch of Mediterranean cuisine by adding anchovy fillets in oil. We borrowed this idea from the famous chef Jamie Oliver from his cookbook βItalian Dishesβ. The anchovies added a fishy accent, along with spiciness and depth of flavor, surprisingly harmonizing with the other ingredients.
Time required: 30-40 min
Difficulty: 3 out of 5 (subjective due to cutting techniques)
Cost: average if cooking for 2 servings, above average if cooking for more than 2 servings
We will need:
For 2 servings:
200 g beef tenderloin
2 tbsp capers (soaked in cold water before cooking)
4 anchovy fillets
juice of half a lemon
3 green onion stalks
1 sprig of parsley
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (we used one with red pepper)
1 red onion
3 quail egg yolks for serving
salt (add carefully, as anchovies are quite salty).
ΠΏΡΠΎΠ΄ΡΠΊΡΠΎΠ²ΠΈΠΉ Π½Π°Π±ΡΡ
Preparation
The first step is⦠no, we are not working with the meat yet, but soaking the capers in cold water to reduce their saltiness. We will chop them last.
Π·Π°ΠΌΠΎΡΡΡΠΌΠΎ ΠΊΠ°ΠΏΠ΅ΡΡΠΈ Ρ Ρ ΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠ΄Π½ΡΠΉ Π²ΠΎΠ΄Ρ
Now we move on to the meat. If necessary, we clean the tenderloin from sinews and fat. After that, we cut it into small cubes, trying to do this as carefully as possible to achieve a tender texture.
Π½Π°ΡΡΠ·ΠΊΠ° ΠΌ'ΡΡΠ°
We also chop the red onion, green onion, parsley, and anchovies finely. We drain the water from the capers, squeeze them, and chop them as finely as possible.
In one bowl, we combine all the chopped ingredients. We squeeze the juice of half a lemon into it, add olive oil, and mix. We taste for salt and add it if necessary. At this stage, you can play with flavors and add Dijon mustard to the dish.
We place a few tablespoons of tartare on a plate, forming a mound. In the center, we make a depression into which we carefully place the separated egg yolks. We used quail eggs.
