Beef Carpaccio
Paper-thin slices of raw beef tenderloin with arugula, parmesan, and truffle oil
- 8 ozbeef tenderloin(center-cut, very fresh)
- 2 cupsbaby arugula
- 2 ozparmesan cheese(shaved)
- 3 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbspfresh lemon juice
- 1 tspwhite truffle oil
- 2 tbspcapers(drained)
- flaky sea salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
Slice beef up to 4 hours ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Dress just before serving.
- 1Wrap tenderloin tightly in plastic wrap and freeze 30 minutes to firm
- 2Using very sharp knife, slice beef as thin as possible
- 3Arrange slices on chilled plates, overlapping slightly
- 4Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice
- 5Season with flaky salt and pepper
- 6Top with arugula in center
- 7Scatter parmesan shavings and capers over top
- 8Finish with drops of truffle oil
- 9Serve immediately
Use only the freshest, highest quality beef from a trusted source. Freezing briefly makes slicing easier. Slice against the grain as thin as possible. The beef should be deep red. Truffle oil is optional but adds luxury. Chill plates to keep beef cold.
Beef carpaccio was invented in 1950 by Giuseppe Cipriani, founder of Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy, one of the 20th century's most celebrated restaurants. According to Cipriani's own memoir and multiple authoritative sources including Wikipedia and Tasting Table, the dish was created for Countess Amalia Nani Mocenigo, a regular patron whose doctor had prescribed a diet of raw meat due to health reasons. Cipriani sliced the finest beef tenderloin paper-thin and dressed it with what he called his "Universal Sauce" — a light emulsion of mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce. He named the dish carpaccio in honor of Vittore Carpaccio (c. 1460–1526), the Venetian Renaissance painter known for his striking use of crimson tones, because the deep red of the raw beef reminded him of the painter's palette. In 1950, a major retrospective of Carpaccio's work was being held in Venice, making the name particularly timely. Harry's Bar had opened in 1931, funded in part by American patron Harry Pickering, and quickly attracted a clientele including Ernest Hemingway, Orson Welles, and Truman Capote. Carpaccio went on to become one of the most copied preparations in restaurant history, inspiring an entire category of thinly sliced raw or lightly cured dishes — from tuna carpaccio to beet carpaccio — that carry the painter's name.