My Perfect Steak Tartar

I first had Steak Tartar in The Ivy, London. So from the outset, the benchmark was set pretty high!

I totally adore this dish and had to get it right, a lot of research went into it.

My weekend treat with a lush glass of Rioja! Lush!!

Serves 1

250g Piece of Fillet Steak, a nice aged one from a butcher is a must

4 Cornichons, finely chopped

2 tsp Capers, finely chopped

1/2 Banana Shallot, finely chopped

1/2 tbsp Ketchup

10 Drops of Tabasco

1/2 tbsp Truffle Oil

1 tbsp Parsley Leaves, finely chopped

1/2 tbsp Dijon

1/4 of a Red Chilli, deseeded, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to season

To Serve

Slices of Crispy Toasted Sourdough

1 Egg Yolk

Finely Chopped Chives

Start by trimming the outsides of the steak. Also remove any obvious white and silvery pieces.

Wash the knife and chopping board.

Pop the steak into the freezer for around 20mins – half an hour to firm up, this makes it easier to cut.

While it is in the freezer, prepare the rest of the ingredients by adding them into a bowl and combining well. Taste and adjust if necessary.

When the steak is ready, take it out and on a chopping board, cut across the grain into slices. Then cut the slices into strips and then cut the strips into little cubes, roughly 2-3mm pieces.

This bit can be done in advance, wrapped tightly in plastic put in the fridge until ready to serve.

Once you are ready to serve, combine the meat and the dressing. Add half the dressing to begin with, add more if necessary. Shape into patties, place in a ring to give a nice shape.

Serve, topped with the egg yolk and the chives, accompanied by the toasted sourdough!

Tip: I toasted my sourdough then put it into the oven at 160c for 8 mins to really crisp it up.