Steak Tartar Recipe

Chill and slice

Place the trimmed New York strip in the freezer for 15–20 minutes until very firm but not frozen solid; this makes clean dicing easier.

Using a sharp knife, finely dice the chilled steak into roughly 1/8–1/4 inch pieces. Transfer to a chilled bowl.

Add the minced shallot, half of the chiffonaded Thai basil, sea salt, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil to the diced beef. Gently toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning conservatively; remember other components are flavorful.

In a small bowl, combine the finely chopped well-drained kimchi, rice vinegar, neutral oil, sesame oil, honey, and gochugaru if using. Whisk vigorously until emulsified and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness so the vinaigrette is tangy with a hint of heat (about 1 minute).

Fold about 1 tablespoon of the kimchi vinaigrette into the diced steak mixture to coat lightly. Reserve the remainder for plating.

Prepare a quick pickle by whisking rice vinegar, water, sugar, and salt until dissolved. Pour over the thinly sliced napa cabbage and toss. Let sit for at least 10 minutes (can be made up to 2 hours ahead). Drain well before using.

Make the truffle aioli by stirring the mayonnaise, truffle paste or a few drops truffle oil, and lemon juice until smooth. Taste and adjust truffle intensity carefully—truffle can dominate quickly.

If you don’t already have cured quail egg yolks: cure fresh quail egg yolks by burying them in a mixture of equal parts fine salt and sugar for 4–6 hours (quail yolks set faster). Gently remove, rinse quickly, and pat dry. Slice each cured yolk in half lengthwise just before plating. (Pre-made cured yolks can be used and are recommended for convenience.)

Warm the crispy rice shrimp crackers briefly in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) for 2–3 minutes to refresh crispness, if needed.

Portion: divide the steak tartar into 4 appetizer portions (about 2 oz each). Using a ring mold (2–2.5 inches) place a shallow mound of the dressed tartar in the center of each plate.

Top each tartar mound with a small nest of pickled cabbage (about 1 tablespoon) positioned to one side.

Dot a few small quenelles or lines of truffle aioli around the tartar (about 3/4 teaspoon per plate).

Place a halved cured quail egg yolk on top of each tartar portion.

Spoon a small pinch (about 1/4 teaspoon) of black truffle caviar over the yolk or beside it for visual contrast and an umami pop.

Garnish with remaining Thai basil chiffonade, a few microgreens, a light scatter of toasted sesame seeds, and a tiny lemon zest if using. Finish with a delicate drizzle (about 1/4 teaspoon) of extra virgin olive oil.

Serve immediately with 2 crispy rice shrimp crackers per portion for scooping.