Steak Tartare

Seriously, don't knock it 'til you try it.  Steak tartare is delicious.  If you are looking for a good version in the City, Garibaldi's is spot on.  I hear the one at Wayfare Tavern is pretty tasty as well.  

I like to order tartare in restaurants but I never thought of making it at home until recently.  Thanks to an  episode of Chuck's Day Off I turned a corner and decided that it makes sense to try it at home.  I was blown away at how delicious and simple it was to make.  Similar to mussels, I will have a hard time paying top dollar for this dish when I eat out now.  For the less adventurous you can always give the steak a light sear, but please resist the urge.

I made this while the wife was away so I just made a half recipe which was a lot.  The recipe below is good appetizer for 4, or maybe a nice lunch for 2.

For delicious steak tartare:

1 good baguette

1 lb of steak (NY strip, filet, and tenderloin are all good choices.  Just ask the butcher for something that is super fresh and pretty lean.  You'll want to trim away most of the fat.  Since you don't cook the meat, the fat does not dissolve.  Unless you're Homer Simpson, you probably don't like eating raw beef fat.)

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

2 tablespoons of  Dijon mustard

1 or 2 garlic cloves (of course I used 2)

Italian parsley, maybe 1/4 of a cup chopped

 2 tablespoons chopped olives, preferably Kalamata 

1 tablespoon of capers, chopped

1 shallot, chopped

1 sprig of green onion, chopped

1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese (I like the shaved kind in this recipe. It adds nice texture and looks great) 

olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

French fries are a classic accompaniment to this dish but I don't want to push my luck with Michelle.  She wasn't mad that I made the tartare, she likes it as well.  Somehow I think that she would have given me a disapproving look though if I started frying stuff at home.

Good toast is another great accompaniment to steak tartare and it's wife approved.  So preheat the oven to 350 for our toast points.  Slice a good baguette diagonally, drizzle some olive oil over the bread, and toast until golden brown (about 10 minutes).  

File this under super simple.  Really, it's pretty basic.  To get started, you need a good cut of steak.  

Make sure to trim all of the fat off.  Then just cut into small cubes.  Some tartare is really chopped small, but I like a bit of bite and texture.  You can do a fine chop if preferred.

Make sure to return the meat to the fridge until you are ready to use it.  Next, make a quick vinaigrette by combining the egg yolk, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper.  Whisk to a blend, then drizzle in about 1/4 cup of olive oil while constantly whisking until smooth.

Next, just chop the shallots, green onion, capers, olives, parsley, and garlic.

Then mix the vinaigrette, steak, veggies and some Parmesan cheese.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Voila.  Steak tartare with toast points. Don't knock it 'til you try it.