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By N. A. Ross
Today, health concerns in the United States, have made Steak Tartare a forbidden pleasure. In France, where we worry more about the taste of our food than the bacteria count in it, we take our chances daily. And we don’t seem to get any sicker than our cousins across the pond. It seems that the less we fret about the sanitation of our establishments and the food ingredients, the less we inundate our food with antibiotics, the more resistant to disease we become, perhaps because we build our own immunity instead of waiting for the producers to protect us from the dangers of real, natural eating. So here is a recipe for Steak Tartare, with raw meat and raw egg as some of the main ingredients.
Ingredients:
 1 lb. rump steak, all fat removed.
2 egg yolks.
2 tsp. cracked mustard or Dijon mustard.
1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce.
2 - 4 dashes Tabasco, Jamaican Pickapeppa Sauce or other hot sauce.
3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil.
3 - 4 tbs. fresh lemon juice.
1/2 small white onion or a couple shallots, finely chopped.
4 small cornichon, chopped.
3 tsp. capers, drained.
6 stalks parsley, finely chopped.
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
Whisk egg yolks, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce in a large bowl until smooth. Gradually whisk in olive oil and lemon juice until it becomes the constancy of a loose mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper.
Slice meat with a very sharp knife or cleaver into paper-thin pieces, Gather pieces together and slice crosswise into smaller pieces, then finely chop them and add to the bowl.
Add onions, cornichon, capers and parsley to the mixture and toss with two spoons until everything is well combined. Adjust seasonings. Divide between 2 plates and serve with pommes frites.
In my opinion, this is much tastier than the tête de veau that has been all the rage these last few months in the Parisian bistros.
© December 2002. All rights reserved.
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