“Steak tartare” or “tatarák“ in Czech language is a staple of central European cuisine: finely chopped (ideally by knife) raw beef served with onions, seasoning like fresh ground pepper, cumin, mild paprika and Worcestershire sauce, sometimes with ketchup, mustard and a raw egg yolk. Mixed according to individual taste, it is best enjoyed over a fried piece of bread “topinka” with a generous garlic spread and paired with a few refreshing pilsner beers.
As my grandmother would say, not a dish to be enjoyed before going to a business meeting or a romantic date..
In Italy we prepare it in a much lighter rendition to preserve the texture and flavour of the premium “Fassona” beef from Piemonte: a gentle touch of lemon (not too much otherwise it “cooks” the meat turning it greyish), a hint of garlic (better if mixed with the meat and then removed), a drop of olive oil and a shave of Parmigiano Reggiano and ideally white truffles from Alba, paired with Barolo or Barbaresco noble wines.
As my grandmother would say, not a dish to be enjoyed before going to a business meeting or a romantic date..
In Italy we prepare it in a much lighter rendition to preserve the texture and flavour of the premium “Fassona” beef from Piemonte: a gentle touch of lemon (not too much otherwise it “cooks” the meat turning it greyish), a hint of garlic (better if mixed with the meat and then removed), a drop of olive oil and a shave of Parmigiano Reggiano and ideally white truffles from Alba, paired with Barolo or Barbaresco noble wines.
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The yearly Czech “National championship of steak tartare mixing” has been organised by Angus Farm, a renowned establishment which adopts “slow food” concept of breeding Angus cattle , local Sumava sheeps, and growing traditional varieties of fruit trees. The forests around the farm and the village of Nepomuk (the birthplace of the famous Saint Jan Nepomuck, patron of Bohemia) are ideal for biking, hiking and mushroom-picking trips, in perfect conjunction with a visit to Pilsen (European city of culture 2015) and its flagship, the Pilsner Urquell brewery and beer museum.
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A pool of some of the best national chefs judged the tartar creations of 12 non-professional contestants, who had available a choice of typical central European ingredients plus the chance to add some personal “secret” ingredients. Our Klara won the second price thanks to a typical Italian (better say, Piedmontese) interpretation and a secret mix involving premium brandy.
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There are many legends about the history of the “Steak tartare” dish, and I like to believe that it was created as a by-product of Mongol (or “Tartar”) invasion of Europe from central Asia, when these mighty warriors used to keep some slices of meat between the horse and the saddle. Always on the move raiding villages, they had no time to stop and cook and just grabbed this “delicacy” from under their buttocks. A true “cowboy meal”, in line with the typical czech passion for outdoors and vintage western movies. Keep following us for more Cook & Meet adventures!
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