Steak Tartare
One of the first things he ever told his best friend about me: “She likes steak tartare!” Uttered in the same breath as one would boast about how pretty their girlfriend is or how smart she is, my boyfriend was bragging about how his American girlfriend was down to eat some raw beef. How romantic…
In my eyes, it’s more French than the famed escargot but equally inedible to some people. I’m convinced I was French in my past life. Personally, I like escargot, it’s all in the sauce unlike steak tartare where it requires a little more finesse. And much like sushi, a hand-cut steak tartare requires precision in its preparation. Several times we’ve encountered ground sirloin as opposed to hand-cut and the results pale in comparison.
In Paris, at the heart of Place de Vosges in the Marais, Les Bonnes Soeurs had the honor of being my first encounter with a hand-cut tartare and it was unbelievable! The texture of the beef was so much more refined and the sauce, what ever was in it, was simply delicious. Since Les Bonnes Soeurs, we’ve been exclusive to this preparation. I still remember the first time we walked into our favorite butcher in midtown and told him we wanted to hand-cut our steak tartare. He gave us a look of bewilderment and awe like one would give a unicorn. We walked out of that butcher shop with the utmost respect from the guru of meats.
But it wasn’t until a few months ago when we were at Pla in Barcelona celebrating my birthday when we had the most phenomenal steak tartare experience. We both regretted only ordering one for an appetizer because having to share meant nirvana would only last half the time. It’s a good thing love conquers all! At the end of our meal we cornered our server who, luckily for us was French, and we were able to squeeze out some of the key ingredients to their recipe. This was the best souvenir from Barcelona!
| 1 | lb. lean sirloin, hand-cut and minced |
| 2 | Tbsp white truffle oil |
| 2 | tsp balsamic vinegar |
| 1 | large shallot, finely minced |
| 2 | Tbsp capers, finely minced |
| 2 | Tbsp celery, finely minced |
| 2 | tsp soy sauce |
| salt & pepper |
- To prepare your sirloin, trim all the ligaments and fat from the meat. Carefully slice and dice the sirloin until it resembles ground beef. Be patient, it’s worth it! Meanwhile, marinate the shallots and capers in a large bowl along with the truffle oil, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce.
- Combine your hand-cut sirloin with the truffle oil mixture and gently mix with your hands. Serve immediately with a side of frisée aux lardons or frites.
November 23rd, 2009 at 14:40
wow you like it I am too chicken to try it! just got back from Paris but didn’t order it!
November 23rd, 2009 at 15:10
@Rebecca: I’m a brave little foodie
. Did you have some macarons from Ladurée in Paris? They’re the best!
November 24th, 2009 at 00:16
Dhale,
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I’m going to make this the next chance I get!
November 24th, 2009 at 17:16
My girlfriend Kat would love this recipe. I can’t wait till she makes it for me.
November 25th, 2009 at 10:40
@Christine: I’m so excited that someone else out there enjoys steak tartare. Hope you enjoy this recipe and I’d love to hear about your experience!
November 25th, 2009 at 10:42
@Neil: Steak tartare is for the true meat lovers and I’m sure your girlfriend, Kat, would enjoy sharing this meal with you
December 3rd, 2009 at 14:39
Reminds of the time we were able to enjoy steak tarter at Le Café Marly right next to the Louvre in Paris. It had an amazing texture and flavor.
December 4th, 2009 at 09:56
@The Food Addicts: Steak tartare is definitely not a dish that everyone is willing to try. Great to hear you guys loved it and so awesome that you tried it in Paris too
December 19th, 2009 at 12:25
Hello! The recipes here are fanstastic. Thanks for having this site. I just found a recipe for Eggplant Parmesan that I LOVE! The eggplant flavor is like beef, but without the fat and calories. It’s a really nice substitute for meat. Visit my site if you’d like to read more. Thanks again – great site!
December 21st, 2009 at 08:52
@Tracee: Thanks for sharing and glad you stopped by!