Beef Tartare Recipe

Chill and prepare beef

Place the beef tenderloin in the freezer for 20–25 minutes to firm it slightly (makes slicing easier). Use a very sharp knife to trim any sinew or fat, then cut the beef into 3–4 mm dice. Keep chilled in the refrigerator until ready to mix.

Finely mince the shallot and place in a small bowl. Drain any excess liquid so the shallot does not water down the tartare.

In a medium mixing bowl combine the diced beef, minced shallot, chopped cornichons, chopped capers, and chopped parsley. Stir gently to distribute.

In a separate small bowl whisk together the egg yolks, Dijon mustard, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, sea salt and black pepper until slightly emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning (a little more lemon or salt as desired).

Add the dressing to the beef mixture and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overwork — you want the beef to remain tender and slightly loose. Keep chilled while you prepare other components.

Toss the peeled, julienned celeriac with lemon juice immediately to prevent browning.

In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise and prepared horseradish. Whisk in the salt and pepper. Taste and add more horseradish if you prefer more heat.

Fold the dressed mayo-horseradish into the celeriac just until the strands are evenly coated. Chill briefly (5–10 minutes) so flavors marry.

Using a ring mold (about 3 inches / 7–8 cm) place it in the center of each plate. Spoon half of the beef tartare mixture into the ring and press gently to shape; lift the ring carefully. Alternatively, mound the tartare with two spoons.

Place a small quenelle or mound (about 2 tbs) of celeriac-horseradish remoulade alongside or atop the tartare depending on your presentation preference.

Using a very fine microplane or sharp knife, grate or shave the bottarga thinly over the beef and remoulade. Distribute roughly half the bottarga per serving so the briny umami notes are present but not overpowering.

Finish with a light drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of lemon zest, and scatter microgreens or baby arugula for brightness. Add cracked black pepper to taste.

Serve immediately with toasted baguette slices or crispbread on the side. If using egg yolks raw is a concern, you can serve the yolk separately or omit and increase mustard/olive oil proportion.