Steak Tartare Recipe

Chill and trim

Freeze the New York strip for 20–25 minutes until very firm but not frozen solid; this makes dicing easier. Trim away all fat, silver skin, and sinew with a sharp knife.

Dice the steak

Using a very sharp chef's knife, slice across the grain into 1/4-inch strips, then rotate and finely dice to a small brunoise (about 1/8–1/4 inch). Place diced beef into a chilled bowl.

Season

Toss diced beef with 1 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 1 tbsp neutral oil. Refrigerate while you prepare other components so flavors meld for about 10–15 minutes.

Whisk together 1/4 cup finely chopped kimchi, 1 tbsp kimchi juice, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1/2 tsp light soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp neutral oil, and 1/2 tsp honey in a small bowl until emulsified. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness. Keep chilled.

Reserve about 1 tablespoon of vinaigrette for drizzling at the end; fold the remaining vinaigrette gently into the diced steak just before plating (use about 1–1.5 tbsp vinaigrette for the beef).

In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tbsp water, 1 tsp sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt. Stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Add 1 cup finely shredded red cabbage and toss to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes, then chill until assembly. The cabbage should be slightly tangy and still crisp.

Make truffle aioli

In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 tsp black truffle oil, 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, and 1/4 tsp minced garlic until smooth. Taste and adjust truffle oil sparingly — truffle flavor should be subtle. Chill until plating.

Cure quail egg yolks

Line a small container with plastic wrap. Mix 1/2 cup kosher salt and 1/2 cup sugar. Create a shallow bed of the cure mixture, make six small indentations. Carefully separate quail eggs and place yolks into the indentations, then cover yolks completely with remaining cure mixture. Refrigerate 12–18 hours (12 hours for lightly cured, up to 18 for firmer yolks).

Rinse and dry yolks

Gently remove yolks from cure, rinse quickly under cold water to remove excess salt and sugar, and pat very gently dry on paper towel. Keep refrigerated until plating; they will have a firm, jammy texture.

Toast sourdough: Brush both sides of multigrain sourdough slices lightly with 1 tbsp olive oil. Toast in a 375°F (190°C) oven or on a skillet until crisp and golden, about 4–6 minutes total, flipping once. Keep warm.

Dress the steak: Remove chilled diced steak from fridge. Fold in 1–1.5 tbsp kimchi vinaigrette (reserve remainder for drizzling). Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of fine sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

Portion: Using a ring mold or a spoon, mound 2.5–3 oz (approx. 70–85 g) of dressed steak per serving onto chilled plates (this recipe yields 4 servings). Create a slight indentation on top of each mound for the cured quail yolk.

Add pickled cabbage: Place about 2 tablespoons of pickled red cabbage alongside or slightly under each steak mound for crunch and brightness.

Apply aioli: Spoon or pipe about 1 teaspoon of truffle aioli near the steak on each plate; you can also dot small amounts on the toast slices.

Top with yolk and caviar: Gently place one cured quail egg yolk into the indentation on each steak mound. Spoon 1/4 teaspoon (approx.) black truffle caviar on top of or beside each yolk.

Finish with herbs and seasoning: Scatter 2 Thai basil leaves (or a small chiffonade) and a few microgreens over each portion. Finish with a light drizzle of reserved kimchi vinaigrette around the plate, a tiny drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on the toast if desired, and a very light sprinkle of fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Serve immediately: Present each portion with 1–2 toasted sourdough slices for scooping. The dish is best eaten immediately so the cured yolk can be broken and combined with the beef and aioli.