Steak Tartare
Those of you who love steak tartare—and there seems to be very little middle ground between those who do and those who don’t—will be positively enamored of this dish. This is a time when the quality of your ingredients is paramount—purchase the filet from a butcher whom you trust to give you the best selection as opposed to something prewrapped in the market. The egg for the mustard sauce must also be as fresh as possible as it is used raw. Savory anchovies add an extra layer of flavor to the creamy sauce, which pops with whole grain mustard. Crunchy, acidic cornichons, fresh jalapeño—an American touch—and shallots inject the lush tartare with flavor and texture.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Mustard Sauce
Garlic Toast
Preparation
Step 1
Put the beef on a plate and place in the freezer for 15 minutes (this will make dicing the beef easier).
Step 2
Whisk together the mustard and oil in a large bowl. Add the jalapeño, shallot, cornichons, and capers and mix to combine.
Step 3
Remove the meat from the freezer and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Put the steak in the bowl with the jalapeño mixture, add the green onions and parsley, and fold gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Divide the tartare among 4 large dinner plates, drizzle with some of the mustard sauce, and serve with 3 slices of the garlic toast. Serve immediately.
Mustard Sauce
Step 5
Combine the egg yolk, anchovies, both mustards, and the vinegar in a blender and blend until smooth.
Step 6
With the motor running, slowly add the oil, drop by drop at first, and blend until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day before serving.
Garlic Toast
Step 7
Preheat the broiler or heat a grill pan over high heat.
Step 8
Combine garlic and oil in a blender and blend for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into a bowl.
Step 9
Brush both sides of the bread with the garlic oil and broil or grill the bread until lightly golden brown on both sides, about 30 seconds per side. Cut each slice in half. The garlic toasts are best served warm, the day they are made.
