For Carpaccio, you want the freshest beef fillet, never frozen before. You also want the centre cut, the piece where there is no fold or sinew separating one piece of meat from the other. Freeze the rest of the meat for a Beef Stroganoff later.
Homemade Carpaccio recipe
Course: Starter, EntreDifficulty: ModerateServings
4
servingsBeef carpaccio is a simple yet elegant starter and is also a great way to get your dinner party started !
Ingredients
300 g Fresh, never-frozen beef fillet, the centre cut
A handful of rocket leaves
Shavings of Parmesan or Grana Padano
Best olive oil you’ve got
Freshly-milled black pepper
Lemon wedges
Directions
- Put the beef into the freezer for 30 minutes to firm it up and make it easier to slice. About 30 minutes before serving, take a very sharp, large knife and cut the beef into the thinnest possible slices. An electric bread slicer set at its narrowest setting will also do a splendid job.
- Arrange the meat slices in a single layer on a baking sheet or wooden board and cover the first layer with cling film to prevent discoloration while you slice the rest. Now leave the meat to rest for a while (about 15 minutes) to allow some freezer chill to escape.
- Just before serving, place slices of meat between two sheets of baking paper and gently roll over the meat slices with a rolling pin, so as if you are rolling out dough. This helps to flatten the meat so that you end up with paper-thin, large slices.
- To serve, plate the meat on a platter or individual plates, lightly scatter some rocket, parsley and cheese shavings on top of the meat. Finish with a generous drizzle of olive oil and serve the pepper and lemon wedges on the side.
Serves 6 as a starter or 8 as an appetizer
Chef’s Hint
- Lemon juice is a terrific embellishment over Carpaccio but please don’t be tempted to drizzle it over the meat beforehand. It will ‘cook’ your lovingly selected, prime piece of beef! Rather pass some lemon wedges around.
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