BEEF TARTARE WITH WHITE TRUFFLE OIL

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Yields: 4 Servings

Comment:
I unabashedly love beef tartare because I gild the lily with a drizzle of truffle oil! Steak tartare has been around for a good long time and according to legend, its name refers to the Tartars, the nomads who roamed Eastern Europe, for a time under the leadership of Attila the Hun. Fierce and bloodthirsty, the Tartars purportedly ate raw meat for strength. Tartars were Huns, but "beef hun" just doesn't have the panache of beef, or steak, tartare. If you've never had beef tartare, try it my way; then make it your way by omitting what you may not like such as capers, Worcestershire sauce, or anchovies. But don't fool with the beef. Buy the best you can from a reputable butcher. I use prime beef when possible, but because it is sometimes hard to find, I may turn to high-quality choice beef instead. This recipe is from my friend, Rick Tramanto, chef and author.

Ingredients:
1 pound beef tenderloin, freshly ground
1 tbsp white truffle oil
2 anchovy fillets
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ cup minced shallots
1 tbsp drained and chopped capers
1 egg yolk
2 tbsps mustard
1½ tsps grated orange zest
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste
8 slices French bread
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
 
Method:
In a chilled mixing bowl, mash anchovies and garlic with a fork to create a paste. Add shallots and capers, mashing into anchovies mixture. Add egg yolk, whisking well into paste. Stir in mustard and orange zest. In a slow, steady stream, add olive oil, whisking constantly until incorporated. Whisk in Worcestershire sauce. Add beef and mix well with a wooden spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Mound tartare in center of each slice French bread. Garnish with parsley and drizzle with truffle oil.