video password: SYDD [case sensitive]
beef carpaccio with parmesan & rocket
from 5 ingredients 10 minutes
serves 2
Legend has it that beef carpaccio was invented at Harry’s Bar in Venice as a salute to the artist ‘Carpaccio’ whose work consisted of large canvases burnished with bright red splotches. These days chefs use the term to denote a dish where the main ingredient is finely sliced, but purists maintain that only raw beef is worthy of the carpaccio moniker.
If the thought of raw beef scares you a little, think of it as beef ‘sushi’. As with serving raw fish, you need to ensure you use the freshest, best quality meat you can find. Make sure you let your butcher know that you are planning to serve the meat raw so they can direct you to the best beef.
Once the beef is cut and exposed to the air, it starts to lose it’s colour, so best to prepare this at the very last minute. I find the easiest way to get picture-perfect parmesan shavings is to use a vegetable peeler.
150g (5oz) best quality fillet of beef
handful parmesan cheese shavings
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 handfuls wild rocket (arugula)
1. Using your sharpest knife, slice the beef into the thinnest possible pieces and layer on a chilled serving plate.
2. Drizzle with the best quality extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with cheese. Season.
3. Mix lemon juice with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
4. Dress leaves with the dressing.
variations for dietary requirements:
vegetarian – Choose some super-ripe meaty tomatoes, preferably heirloom such as beefsteak or oxheart. Use instead of the beef. For 2 people you’ll need about 2 large tomatoes. A nice change would be to dress with balsamic vinegar instead of the lemon juice.
vegan – Try shaved raw, peeled beetroot slices to replace the beef and replace the cheese with finely sliced roasted pecans or walnuts. A balsamic vinegar dressing may also be better than lemon juice here.
dairy-free – Skip the parmesan and grate over some fresh horseradish if you can find it. Or scatter over a little hot English or Dijon mustard.
troubleshooting guide:
freaked out about eating raw beef? – Try rubbing the beef fillet with olive oil and searing over a high heat on each side until browned all over. Rest for a few minutes then slice as per raw beef – the advantage here is that any contamination on your beef is likely to be on the external surfaces, so by searing the outside you’re making sure it’s completely safe.
beef too chewy – Either it hasn’t been sliced finely enough, or there is some sinew left on the beef. Next time, bash the meat out a little with your hand if the pieces are too thick. This will help tenderise as well. Also be super vigilant about cutting off any visible fat and sinew.
bland – Try a little more salt & pepper and maybe a squeeze of lemon.
not filling enough? – I’d be hesitant to serve more beef, so if you think you’re still going to be hungry, some bread and butter on the side would make a big difference.
leftover potential:
No! I always serve this on the same day I buy the beef. If you have leftovers, cook before eating.
related links:
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