← Nouns Cooking · French

Ingredients

• 300 g very fresh beef fillet or topside, well trimmed
• 1 Shallot, very finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Capers, rinsed and chopped
• 4 cornichons, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• 3 drops of Tabasco
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 very fresh egg yolks
• Salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Chill the beef in the freezer for 15 min so it is firm. Keep everything cold while you work.
2. With a very sharp knife, slice the beef thinly, then into strips, then chop into small 3–4 mm dice. Avoid a mincer, which turns it pasty.
3. In a cold bowl, mix the shallot, capers, cornichons, parsley, mustard, Worcestershire, Tabasco and oil. Fold in the beef and season with salt and plenty of pepper. Taste and adjust the heat and sharpness.
4. Press into two rings on chilled plates, make a dip in the top and slip an egg yolk into each. Serve at once with frites and a green salad.

Tips

• Raw beef and raw egg carry a food-safety risk: buy from a butcher you trust, ask for it for tartare, use it the same day, and skip it for pregnant women, young children and anyone with a weak immune system.
• Worcestershire sauce contains anchovy and may contain gluten; check the label.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

French Cooking Academy Great British Chefs BBC Good Food