Course
Small Bites
Duration
30 minutes
Serves
4 (8 or 10 as an appetizer)
I’ve been experimenting with raw red meat for a while now. When your meat is properly cleaned and cared for there is very little risk for illness, and the meals that come from raw red meat are a great way to impress a dinner party.
For a few years I’ve been experimenting with axis deer tartare, and I often incorporate coffee. I make grilled axis deer backstraps with a coffee rub, and it really compliments the meat well.
On a recent trip to Hawaii, a well-known chef was cooking for the ranch where I was staying, and he made an axis tartare that incorporated an espresso aioli. It was simply amazing, and I did my best to recreate it. The parmesan cheese crisp that it’s served on adds a little crunch and saltiness. Add a little Worcestershire sauce and shallots, and you will surprise even the most skeptical of raw meat critics.
Feature image via Bryan Gregson.
Ingredients
Tartare
- 1 lb. venison backstrap or tenderloin, finely chopped
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp. lemon-infused olive oil (see recipe below)
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp. coffee aioli (see recipe below)
- 1 tbsp. pickled mustard greens, finely chopped (or substitute 1 tablespoon dill pickle, finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
Lemon-Infused Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 lemon
Coffee Aioli
- 2 tbsp. canola oil
- 1 ounce or 2 tbsp. espresso coffee, cooled to room temperature
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
Parmesan Crisps
- 5 oz. fresh grated parmesan cheese
Also works with
Special equipment
Preparation
Lemon-Infused Olive Oil Scrub the lemon under water with a scrub brush before peeling it. Peel the lemon, avoiding any of the white pith. Place the lemon peel and the olive oil in a sauce pan, and cook over a very low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure the mixture does not boil as the flavors need to infuse slowly. Remove the pan from the heat, and allow the olive oil to cool down completely. (You can also buy lemon-infused olive oil at many boutique markets).
Coffee Aioli Collect all ingredients and place in blender. Mix until creamy.
Parmesan Crisps Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Make mounds of 1 1/2 tablespoons of parmesan on the parchment paper, leaving roughly 2 inches between each mound. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until the crisps start to brown. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and let it cool to room temperature. Do not try to remove the parmesan crisps from the parchment paper and cookie sheet until completely cooled.
Meat Tartare
In a large bowl, mix together the meat and all the ingredients listed above, except for the parmesan crisps. After it’s mixed thoroughly, gently spoon about a tablespoon of tartare onto each crisp and serve immediately.
I’ve been experimenting with raw red meat for a while now. When your meat is properly cleaned and cared for there is very little risk for illness, and the meals that come from raw red meat are a great way to impress a dinner party.
For a few years I’ve been experimenting with axis deer tartare, and I often incorporate coffee. I make grilled axis deer backstraps with a coffee rub, and it really compliments the meat well.
On a recent trip to Hawaii, a well-known chef was cooking for the ranch where I was staying, and he made an axis tartare that incorporated an espresso aioli. It was simply amazing, and I did my best to recreate it. The parmesan cheese crisp that it’s served on adds a little crunch and saltiness. Add a little Worcestershire sauce and shallots, and you will surprise even the most skeptical of raw meat critics.
Feature image via Bryan Gregson.
Ingredients
Tartare
- 1 lb. venison backstrap or tenderloin, finely chopped
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp. lemon-infused olive oil (see recipe below)
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp. coffee aioli (see recipe below)
- 1 tbsp. pickled mustard greens, finely chopped (or substitute 1 tablespoon dill pickle, finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
Lemon-Infused Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 lemon
Coffee Aioli
- 2 tbsp. canola oil
- 1 ounce or 2 tbsp. espresso coffee, cooled to room temperature
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
Parmesan Crisps
- 5 oz. fresh grated parmesan cheese
Also works with
Special equipment
Preparation
Lemon-Infused Olive Oil Scrub the lemon under water with a scrub brush before peeling it. Peel the lemon, avoiding any of the white pith. Place the lemon peel and the olive oil in a sauce pan, and cook over a very low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure the mixture does not boil as the flavors need to infuse slowly. Remove the pan from the heat, and allow the olive oil to cool down completely. (You can also buy lemon-infused olive oil at many boutique markets).
Coffee Aioli Collect all ingredients and place in blender. Mix until creamy.
Parmesan Crisps Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Make mounds of 1 1/2 tablespoons of parmesan on the parchment paper, leaving roughly 2 inches between each mound. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until the crisps start to brown. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and let it cool to room temperature. Do not try to remove the parmesan crisps from the parchment paper and cookie sheet until completely cooled.
Meat Tartare
In a large bowl, mix together the meat and all the ingredients listed above, except for the parmesan crisps. After it’s mixed thoroughly, gently spoon about a tablespoon of tartare onto each crisp and serve immediately.