Tartare de Bœuf aux Saveurs Thaïes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup strained fresh tomato juice see note
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons strained lime juice
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil
- 2 teaspoons finely minced cilantro leaves plus extra
- 1 teaspoon finely minced cilantro stems
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- pinch Thai red chile powder see note
- pinch salt
- 1 Prime filet mignon steak about 6-8 ounces
- 2 tablespoons fresh green peas steamed and chilled
- mint leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Place the steak on a plate and freeze for about 30 minutes until firm.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the tomato juice, fish sauce, lime juice, oil, minced cilantro leaves and stems, sugar, Thai chile powder, and salt.
- Slice the steak as thinly as possible — around 1/8-inch, then cut each slice into 1/8-inch batons. Next, using the sharpest chef’s knife you have, finely chop the batons. Gather the coarsely chopped meat and place it back on the plate, cover, refrigerate until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, whisk the sauce again then add 1/4 cup to the chopped meat and gently stir to combine. Taste and add more sauce as needed. Mold the tartare onto two serving plates, and drizzle with any extra sauce. Divide the peas between the two plates and garnish with mint and cilantro.
Notes
Serves 2.
Note: for the tomato juice, I cut one ripe tomato across the equator and removed the seeds and jelly. I then squeezed all the juice out through a fine-mesh strainer giving me just enough juice for the recipe.
Regarding the Thai red chile powder: cayenne pepper can be used as a substitute. For the chile powder – a staple in my kitchen – I buy a carton of Thai chiles and dry them. After they are fully dry, I blitz them in a spice grinder.