PERFECT STEAK TARTARE

When I'm in France, there are 2 things I make sure I eat while I'm there - mussels with frites, and steak tartare. And if raw meat is up your street, then there's no reason you can't make it at home. As long as you have good quality meat (see my post on good meat suppliers here), and fresh, free-range eggs, then it's actually really easy, and you can adjust the seasonings to your own taste.

Serves 2.

200g fillet steak, free-range, organic
2 ping pong ball sized shallots
3 cornichons (about 3cm long)
2 large caper berries
Half a handful of parsley
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
1 free-range egg yolk

All this recipe really requires is a lot of chopping. Chop the steak into small cubes, about 3mm square. Chop the shallots, cornichons and caper berries into slightly smaller cubes, about 2mm square. Chop the parsley as finely as you can.

Mix the oil together with the mustard and Worcestershire sauce, and stir in the chopped steak. Add the rest of the chopped ingredients, season, and mix together. 

At this point I like to cover the mix with cling film and put it in the fridge for 20 minutes, as it's nice really cold.

Take the mix out of the fridge and divide between 2 lightly oiled ramekins. Turn the ramekins out onto your serving plate, and make a dip where the two meet. Put the raw egg yolk into this well.

I served our steak tartare with British asparagus, which has just come into season, and although expensive (£4 a bunch at the farmers market), I think it's worth it. 

Trim the ends off the asparagus where the colour changes, and steam for 4 minutes. 

It's not something I'm going to eat that often, but it's such a treat once in a while.