The pleasure of this dish is sharing it between friends, as the ritual of mixing and seasoning creates a special moment of conviviality. The Parmesan adds a very pleasing note, and homemade French fries or the skinnier pommes allumettes are undoubtedly the companion par excellence to this dish. Everyone is fond of Melba toast, and so I often make extra to serve on the side.
SERVES 4
500g very chilled, almost freezing cold, beef fillet
1 egg yolk, plus 4 extra yolks to serve
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
6 drops of Tabasco
1 tsp grated horseradish, ideally fresh, or from a jar
2 anchovy fillets in oil, finely chopped
1½ tbsp light fruity olive oil
5g curly-leaf parsley, chopped
1 small tsp baby capers, drained and chopped
4 small gherkins, finely diced
2 tsp finely chopped onion
50g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1–2 lemons, cut into wedges, to finish and serve
For the Melba toast
2 slices of medium-cut white sandwich loaf
Trim the fillet of beef and cut into fine dice (brunoise). Place in a bowl, cover with cling film and return to the fridge to keep it chilled while you assemble the rest of the ingredients in saucers or small bowls, ready to mix at the table, and prepare the Melba toast.
For the Melba toast, preheat the grill. Using a knife, trim the crusts from the bread slices. Grill the bread on both sides, then split each slice horizontally in two with a knife to make 4 thin slices. Toast the uncooked bready sides to make 4 thin Melba toast slices.
To serve, put the beef into a large bowl set over another bowl of ice at the table. Place all the other steak tartare ingredients on the table, with spoons. Gradually add these ingredients to the meat in the order listed, keeping back the 4 extra yolks, mixing with a large wooden spoon. (You may prefer to omit some of the ingredients, according to preference.) Taste the mixture from time to time as you are mixing, to make sure the seasoning is right, and invite your guests to do the same – this is part of the ritual and gives everyone a chance to offer their opinion. Squeeze over some of the lemon at the end.
Once you are satisfied with the result, place a piece of Melba toast on each of 4 chilled plates. Place a plain cutter, about 8cm in diameter, on another chilled plate and fill it with the meat mixture, pressing it in lightly with the back of a spoon, then use the back of the spoon to make a small dip in the centre.
Slide a large palette knife under the steak tartare and carefully lift it onto one of the Melba toasts. Remove the pastry cutter by lifting and turning it gently. Repeat with the remaining mixture to make another 3 steak tartares. Place an egg yolk in the small dip in the middle of each one. Serve a couple of lemon wedges on the side of each plate.
