Heat & more heat. Vegetarians look away now.
Today is supposed to be the hottest day yet this summer (in France). Fortunately not here in Mazamet. Albeit 29 isn’t exactly refreshing. Last year the weather was really great until December. Hopefully we get another Indian Summer this year.
I’m planning light foods for the entire week. Gravad lax, toast skagen, various tartares, and ceviche. My favourite tartare of the moment is one with an Asian twist (a light dressing of soy sauce, wasabi and rice vinegar.) Here are a few things people should know about tartare:
- It’s not supposed to be ground beef. Never use commercial ground beef!
- Various different cuts can be used, but filet mignon (tenderloin) is always the best because it’s both lean and tender. If in doubt ask your butcher for help.
- Knife cut makes for a much better texture.
- Don’t overdo spices and seasoning. Condiments can always be added at the table.
- As a main course, count 150 grams per person
- If you’re not into raw meat, fresh tuna or wild salmon are excellent alternatives.
In a perfect world it should look something like this:
My Mazamet 
I never understood the attraction to raw meat. Sushi or red meat.
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I never understood the attraction to Jesus 😉
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I love tartare. You’re right about using tenderloin. I bought a whole tenderloin and took it apart myself. Ended up with 13 nice steaks and two pounds of scraps to be made into tartare 🙂
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That’s interesting! Of my friends, the Americans and the British are the most resistant to tartare- sometimes even against trying it at all 🙂
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That’s odd, my experience in Europe was the beef was always (to my American tastes) overcooked and the pork always undercooked, a complete inversion of safety standards.
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Beef is often overcooked in the UK. In France they lean to rare- or what we call “saignant” (bleeding.) Pork has changed over the years. It used to be overcooked, but as certain diseases were eliminated they kept lowering the internal cooking temp. guidelines.
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Well, vive la France.
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well, I’m definitely the plaid sheep of my family and pretty much my country. I’ll try damn near anything and if I like it, I’ll continue on, public opinion be damned 🙂
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Yuk. There’s only one type of raw meat I like :p
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No sushi?
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Yuck too. Why don’t you just tuck into a live cow? Keep the meat fresh.
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I find it’s easier to eat an animal if it’s not moving.
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While I prefer ceviche with the tartness of lots of acid to slightly cook the protein, I do occasionally do tartare with beef–esp if it’s from a known source. Going to a commercial meat processing plant resulted in a few diet aversions for me! (Ground anything). Btw, some sesame or ponzu would be a nice add to this, perhaps a cilantro pesto/aioli (with EVOO of course!)
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I have never quite worked up the enthusiasm to try it. In chain restaurants I don’t think the quality will be good enough. In expensive ones, there are always too many more appealing choices. Ah well, one day.
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Good. Try it in a classic bistro.
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I love a good tartare, despite being American. Still, I have yet to make my own. Now you’ve inspired me. 🙂
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You’re in the red zone for heat aren’t you? 36 or 37?
At this point do you really consider yourself American? I think we’re sort of post-nationality.
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We’re in orange today. Still hot. Ugh.
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I can swallow sashimi, just, but meat that’s completely, deliberately raw? Sorry. 😦
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The raw meat doesn’t bother me and I wouldn’t mind tasting tartare, but what is that egg doing on top? The tought of meat with an egg on it makes me somewhat nauseous. Ugh.
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Raw (or nearly raw) eggs are deeply entrenched in French culture 🙂 Have you never dipped asparagus in a runny yolk?
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Most excellent advice. I have regularly had all of these tartares except for ceviche. I believe I have only eaten ceviche one time and it was not memorable.
The condiment I most prefer for tartares is capers. Capers are underrated and underutilized. For the fish tartares, very important that you hand cut the fish, do not grind in a grinder. Either fresh Lemon or Lime Juice, capers, scallions, and a little olive oil, salt & pepper. Of course for the beef tartare you provide more condiments for people to choose from.
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