BEEF TARTARE AND WHITE TRUFFLE OIL

Prep Time: 14 minutes
Yield: 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
2 anchovy fillets
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup minced shallots
1 tablespoon drained, chopped capers
1 large egg
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
8 slices of French bread
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon white truffle oil

Method:
In a chilled mixing bowl, mash the anchovies and garlic with a fork to make a paste. Add the shallots and capers and mash them into the paste. Add the egg and whisk it into the paste with the fork. Whisk in the mustard and orange zest. In a slow, steady stream, add the olive oil, whisking constantly until incorporated. Whisk in the Worcestershire sauce.  Add the beef and mix well with a wooden spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Mound some tartare in the center of each French bread slice. Garnish with parsley and drizzle with truffle oil.