Food From The Edge
The Discerning Palate
Pastis Steak Tartare
by USAirways Magazine Staff
Raw beef diced and dressed — this dish is cool, calm, collected, and just a tad raffish. What could be more appropriate to eat in homage to the district of New York City that was, for the longest time, home to scores of knife-wielding butchers?
This recipe is adapted from the The Balthazar Cookbook by Keith McNally, Riad Nasr, and Lee Hanson.
1 ¼ lbs. filet mignon, preferably prime
½ medium yellow onion, minced
2 tbs. capers
8 cornichons, diced
2 tbs. flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 anchovy filet, minced
2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
½ tsp. salt
white pepper
6 tbs. homemade mayonnaise, enlivened to taste with sharp mustard, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and Tabasco
1 baguette, sliced thin and toasted
Chill beef overnight. Using very sharp knife, cut filet mignon into thin, ¼-inch slices. Stack three slices and cut lengthwise, every ½ inch, holding stack in place. Cut across stack, again every ½ inch, resulting in ½ inch dice. Put chopped steak in bowl and set inside a second, larger bowl of crushed ice.
Add all (except the baguette slices) and mix until barely combined. Serve the tartare with baguettes and, perhaps, a salad, dressed simply with oil, vinegar, and salt.
Serves 6–8.
Purchase The Balthazar Cookbook at amazon.com.
Make reservations at Pastis at pastisny.com/reservations.
