Steak tartare recipe, quintessential French dish d'amour sip with Rose Wine

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Submitted by Patti Peek Neumann on Wed, 06/25/2014 - 5:24am

Oooola-la, am I enjoying my expereince in the South of France. Especially, the incredibly fresh ingredients you can not only taste, but smell. Two of the quintessential, French dishes is of particular interest to share: Beef Tartare and Salade Nicoise. I am sampling the dishes everywhere. My most favorite spot to date for the taratre are served at the exclusive, 5-star HERMITAGE HOTEL MONTE CARLO's VISTAMER RESTAURANT (left) and BIJOU PLAGE in Antibes (below) the tartare. (I am still up in the air where the best is located for the nicoise salade. But, more on that later.)

Steak tartare, aka 'raw beef,' is usually associated with the Parisian bistros and the Tartars who gave the dish its name. The legend goes that Tartare tribes, when fighting, didn't even have time to stop and cook their food. They are said to have kept the meat underneath their saddles and mince it in this way. Today this dish is a gourmet classic, eaten like a pate. The necessity is to buy the highest top-quality beef. Try it over a bed of mesclun or served with toast points or french fries.

Now please note, forgo ketchup, you are in the land of Dijon, so enjoy its indigenous condiment with or without grains.

Because you will be serving the meat raw, be sure to buy it from a reputable source, and tell your butcher that you will be preparing it as tartare so you recive the best cut. Use pasteurized or very fresh eggs from a reputable source. Keep the beef covered and refrigerated until you are ready to use it.

Photo Credit: Patti Neumann, CITYPEEK

INGREDIENTS

2 teaspoons brined capers, drained and rinsed
3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 large egg yolks
10 ounces USDA prime beef tenderloin, cut into small dice, covered, and refrigerated
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley leaves
4 teaspoons olive oil
3 dashes hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
dash of Brandy or better yet, truffle oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine capers, brandy and mustard in a nonreactive bowl. Using a fork or the back of a spoon, mash ingredients until evenly combined; mix in egg yolks.
Use a rubber spatula to fold remaining ingredients into mustard mixture until thoroughly combined. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper and a dash of truffle oil.
Serve immediately with small salad, toast points, a warm roll and of course, french fries with dijon..

Sip a glass of chilled rose or pinot noir and enjoy the bonne vivante--the good life!

Patti Neumann is Publisher/Founder of CITYPEEK.com and an award-winning columnist and blogger on food, wine.