Beef Tartare Twist
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Raw diced sirloin mixed with mayo, chives, and olive oil, served with roasted bone marrow and crispy fried shoestring potatoes. Uses veal stock cubes and replaced traditional cheese with finely grated aged Pecorino Romano. Potatoes cut thin, soaked, and fried until golden. Bone marrow roasted and scooped warm. Meat kept cold on ice bowl during prep. Minor adjustments on times for roasting and frying. Salt, pepper, and creamy elements balance texture and flavor. A fusion of textures: cold tender beef, warm marrow, crunchy potato shoestrings.
Prep:
30 min
Cook:
27 min
Total:
57 min
Servings:
4 servings
#appetizer
#French cuisine
#beef
#gourmet
#raw food
Beef, raw and tender, diced and chilled atop ice. Mayonnaise and chives mix in a creamy herb lift. Bone marrow - roasted, soft and warm inside split demi-bones - scooped in warm dollops onto the beef. Crunch comes from potatoes, peeled and julienned thin, soaked to wash starch, fried in hot oil until crisp golden shoestrings. Pecorino Romano replaces usual cheese riddled in recipes. Veal stock cube crumbled into meat for an umami hint. Chilled beef bowl balancing roasting hot marrow, savory crunch cycles and fresh herbs. No fuss but bold contrast. Short times shifted; roasting beef bones a tad longer, fries a touch shorter. Salt and pepper steady staples, added olive oil seals flavors. Textural play, layered tastes. Bite cold beef, scoop marrow warmth, crunch shoestring salt. The eat stops not the thinking.
Ingredients
- 4 demi-os à moelle de bœuf coupés en deux horizontalement, rinsed and soaked
- 500 g sirloin beef steak, finely diced
- 2 large Russet potatoes, peeled
- 20 ml mayonnaise
- 30 g finely chopped chives
- 40 g finely grated aged Pecorino Romano cheese
- Olive oil for seasoning
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1 veal stock cube, crumbled (replacement for original cheese note ingredient)
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- Coarse sea salt
About the ingredients
Switched to sirloin beef slightly higher weight for better balance with marrow richness. Pecorino Romano instead of the Louis d’Or cheese for sharper salty depth paired with marrow’s buttery profile. Added a crumbled veal stock cube in beef to build subtle savory background replacing original’s additional herb notes. Mayonnaise raised slightly to keep moistness. Potatoes thinly julienned then soaked to remove excess starch, reducing fry oil absorption and keeping crisps tender yet crunchy. Bone marrow demi-os soaked overnight to clear any blood, then dried well before roasting at slightly higher temp to coax flavor out without overheating marrow fat. Olive oil for seasoning rather than mixing oil enhances herb flavor with mild fruitiness. These tweaks create a tartare that holds freshness but has layered, almost roasted warmth within, pairing contrasts in texture and flavor.
Method
- Place the demi-os à moelle in cold water, cover and refrigerate for 10-12 hours. Rinse well afterward.
- Preheat oven rack to center, oven to 210 °C (410 °F).
- Drain and dry marrow bones thoroughly on paper towels. Arrange bones on baking sheet, cut side up.
- Roast bones for 22 minutes until marrow is soft but not melting.
- Prepare an ice bath: half-fill large bowl with ice, place smaller metal bowl inside to chill beef during prep.
- Using sharp knife, finely dice sirloin beef directly into chilled bowl to keep cold. Add crushed veal stock cube to beef to add subtle umami twist. Stir gently.
- Heat vegetable oil to 175 °C (347 °F) in deep fryer or heavy pan. Prepare tray lined with paper towels near stovetop.
- Cut peeled potatoes into very thin julienne strips using mandoline. Rinse in cold water repeatedly until water clears. Soak 8 minutes.
- Drain and pat potatoes completely dry with clean cloth.
- Fry potatoes in batches for 3-5 minutes, stirring often, until golden brown and crisp. Drain on towels, sprinkle with sea salt while hot.
- In the chilled beef bowl, add mayonnaise, chopped chives, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Mix carefully but thoroughly.
- To plate: use round cookie cutter to form compact beef tartare nests in deep plates.
- Spoon warm marrow from bones atop tartare, arrange crisp fried potato shoestrings around.
- Sprinkle tartare and plate edges with grated Pecorino Romano cheese.
- Serve immediately, combining hot marrow, cold beef, and crunchy potatoes in each bite.
Cooking tips
Overnight soaking bones removes impurities for gentler marrow roasting. Bone roast time increased to 22 minutes at 210 °C for perfect soft but intact marrow. Beef diced small, kept on ice bowl to maintain cold to prevent flavor degradation and bacterial growth. Crumbled veal cube mixed into beef adds depth without overpowering. Potatoes rinsed multiple times until water runs clear; soaking 8 minutes maximizes starch removal improving fry crispness without sogginess. Frying cut at 175 °C for 3-5 minutes ensures thin strips crisp without burning, stirred regularly to toast evenly. Mayo, chives, olive oil tossed gently in chill bowl for even seasoning. Plating with a cookie cutter forms neat tartare rounds; warm marrow spooned immediately to warm and contrast with chilled meat. Pecorino dusted last to add sharp salt bite atop. Serve instantly for best textural and temperature contrasts. Minor timing tweaks balance softness, crispness, flavor layers while respecting hygiene and taste.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Keep beef very cold. Use ice bowl. This prevents bacterial growth. Crucial for safety. Clean all surfaces thoroughly. Chill tools too, help maintain temperature.
- 💡 Soak potatoes after cutting. Rinse well multiple times. Removes excess starch, crucial for crispiness. Very thin strips fry better. Mind frying temperature closely.
- 💡 Roast bone marrow precisely. Too much heat melts marrow away. Aim for soft but intact. Dry well before roasting. Ensures perfect texture.
- 💡 Pay attention to seasoning during mixing. Salt enhances flavors. Mix mayo and olive oil, balance creamy with umami. Add chives for fresh lift.
- 💡 Use a cookie cutter for plating. Neat formation brings elegance. Keep marrow warm until serving. Warm and cold contrasts vital for experience.
Common questions
How long to soak bones?
Rinse bones then soak overnight. Clears blood. Results in cleaner flavor. Essential for marrow dominance in dish.
Can I use different types of beef?
Yes, but texture is key. Sirloin ideal for tartare. Fatty cuts can overwhelm. Leaner choices work too.
What if potatoes get soggy?
Drain and dry them thoroughly. Use clean cloth. Fry in bubbles, avoid overcrowding. This keeps them crispy.
How to store leftovers?
Keep beef tartare cold. Use airtight container. Consume within a day. Marrow should be used the same day as well.
