BEEF TARTARE RE-VISITED
By Chef Alex Stumpf
A popular caricature of Mongol warriors—called Tatars or Tartars—has them tenderizing meat under their saddles, then eating it raw. Some say this is where the all-time classic Beef Tartare came from. Traditionally, beef tartare includes egg yolk, mustard, ketchup, tabasco and comes with a side of fries or green salad. At BB Social Dining, this is how we do it, giving it a modern eastern kick:
For 1 serving:
60g chopped wagyu beef
5g chives
5g pickled red onions
1 shiso leaf
8g sesame crumble
25g yuzu kosho mayonnaise
First and foremost, our tartare is finely chopped “au couteau”, which means “with a knife” in French. We recommend selecting a tender D-rump of wagyu beef for its flavourful fatty nature. Then, get chopping: pickled red onions, chives and shiso leaves should be sliced separately and as thinly as possible.
Now for the sesame crumble: fry and the mix equal portions of black and white sesame, finely chopped shallots, potato chips, lotus root, and crush them into a fine powder. This preparation can be kept for a sprinkle and a crisp for other culinary preparations.
Time to whisk up the tangy yuzu kosho mayonnaise. Here is a mayo flavoured with yuzo kosho, a Japanese seasoning made from fermented yuzu peel, chilli and salt, adding a whole new zingy, powerful realm of flavour to the classical French dish. You will need:
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ tablespoon dry mustard
½ tablespoon granulated sugar
½ tablespoon salt
2 egg yolks
2 cups vegetable oil
¾ tablespoon yuzu juice
¾ tablespoon yuzu kosho paste
In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, sugar, salt and egg yolks until smooth. While whisking, slowly stream in the oil until the ideal thickness forms. Whisk in the yuzu juice and yuzu kosho paste until smooth. Season with salt and mix with the chopped meat, chives, pickled onions, shiso leaves and the sesame crumble.
If you “break” your mayo (a humbling experience that happens to the best of us!), just pop it at BB’s where Chef Alex will gladly prepare his Asian interpretation of the all-time favourite Beef Tartare… served with bao chips, BB style!