Beef Carpaccio

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Very sharp slicing knife or chef's knife
• •Meat mallet or small heavy pan
• •Vegetable peeler for Parmesan
• •8 chilled dinner plates

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the beef for freezing

   Wrap the trimmed tenderloin tightly in plastic wrap, pressing out all air to form a compact cylinder. Place in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours until the meat is firm but not frozen solid. You're looking for the texture of a very cold stick of butter. Press the center with your finger: it should resist but give slightly. Frozen too hard, the meat will shatter when sliced. Not firm enough, and your slices will tear and bunch.

   Set a timer for 90 minutes. Check the beef then. If it needs more time, check every 15 minutes until it reaches the right firmness.
2. 2

   Slice the beef paper-thin

   Unwrap the chilled tenderloin and place it on a cutting board. Using your sharpest knife (a long slicing knife works best), cut against the grain into slices no thicker than an eighth of an inch. Work steadily and confidently. Single long strokes produce cleaner cuts than sawing motions. If the beef begins to soften and stick to your blade, return it to the freezer for ten minutes. Arrange each slice flat on a sheet of parchment paper as you work, slightly overlapping if needed.

   A mandoline or deli slicer produces more uniform results if you have one, but a sharp knife in practiced hands does the job beautifully.
3. 3

   Pound the slices thinner

   This step separates good carpaccio from great. Lay a single layer of beef slices on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Cover with another sheet. Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a small heavy pan, gently pound the beef until nearly translucent. You should almost be able to read a newspaper through it. Work from the center outward with light, even strokes. The meat should spread but not tear. Repeat with remaining slices.

   If you're nervous about pounding, skip this step. Your carpaccio will be slightly thicker but still delicious. Confidence comes with practice.
4. 4

   Arrange on serving plates

   Peel the pounded beef from the plastic and arrange in a single overlapping layer on chilled plates, covering the surface completely. The slices should lie flat with no wrinkles or folds. If preparing ahead, cover each plate tightly with plastic wrap, pressing it directly against the surface of the meat to prevent oxidation. Refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

   Chill your plates in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before plating. Cold plates keep the beef at the proper temperature longer during service.
5. 5

   Make the dressing

   In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice until emulsified, about 30 seconds of vigorous whisking. The mixture should look slightly creamy and unified, not separated. Season with a pinch of salt. Taste it. The balance should lean toward brightness from the lemon with the oil providing body and richness. Adjust as needed. This dressing won't hold, so make it just before serving.

6. 6

   Dress and garnish

   Remove the plates from the refrigerator and uncover them. Drizzle the lemon-oil dressing evenly over each portion of beef, using a spoon to distribute it in thin streams. Scatter a small handful of arugula in the center of each plate, leaving a border of beef visible. Using a vegetable peeler, shave long curls of Parmesan over the arugula. Distribute the capers among the plates. Finish with flaky salt and several grinds of black pepper. Serve immediately.

Chef Tips

• •Buy your beef from a butcher you trust. Tell them you're making carpaccio. They should nod approvingly and select a center-cut piece from tenderloin they're confident about. This is not the time for supermarket beef of uncertain provenance.
• •The quality of your olive oil matters more here than in almost any other dish. Use something you'd happily drink from a spoon: grassy, peppery, with enough fruit to balance the acidity of the lemon. Cheap oil tastes cheap when there's nothing to hide behind.
• •Parmigiano-Reggiano aged 24 months or longer provides the crystalline texture and complex nuttiness this dish demands. Accept no substitutes. The rind should bear the stamp. If it doesn't, you're not getting the real thing.
• •For New Year's gatherings, prepare individual plates through step 4, stack them with parchment between each plate, and refrigerate. Dress them assembly-line style ten minutes before serving. Eight plates take less than five minutes once you have a rhythm.
• •Serve with crusty bread, grissini, or crostini to give guests something to use as a vehicle for the dressed beef. A crisp Prosecco or light-bodied red like Valpolicella makes an ideal pairing.

Advance Preparation

• •Beef can be sliced, pounded, and arranged on plastic-wrapped plates up to 4 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated until 10 minutes before dressing and serving.
• •Arugula can be washed, dried, and stored in a paper towel-lined container up to 1 day ahead.
• •Parmesan can be shaved up to 2 hours ahead and kept covered at room temperature. Earlier shaving causes the curls to dry out and lose their supple texture.
• •Make the lemon-oil dressing within 30 minutes of serving. It separates quickly and loses its emulsified sheen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 35g)