Steak Tartare!

Steak Tartare

Steak tartare is a dish made from finely chopped, or ground raw beef. It is often served with onions, capers and seasonings (the latter typically incorporating fresh ground pepper and Worcestershire sauce), and sometimes with a raw egg. In the past, any restaurant that served hamburgers had the ability to prepare steak tartare even if it was not specifically mentioned on the menu.

Health concerns have decreased the popularity of this dish because of the danger of contamination by bacteria and other organisms. Cooking until the chopped is no longer pink is a sure way of killing almost all undesired organisms, but it is contrary to the preparation of this food item. The Mexican version of steak tartare typically marinates the in lime juice, in the manner of ceviche, which has the effect of disinfecting the to a certain extent.

The basis of the name is the legend that nomadic Tatar people of the Central Asian steppes did not have time to cook and thus placed underneath their horses' saddles. The would be tenderised by the end of the journey.

It has also been said that Jules Verne invented the dish as a favorite of Captain Nemo. The Jules Verne restaurant in Paris is even known for its steak tartare. However, no similar dish can be found in either Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea or Mysterious Island, the only novels by Verne to mention Captain Nemo.

Steak tartare is now regarded as a gourmet dish. It is especially popular in Belgium, France, and Switzerland, where it is known as filet am'ricain or American fillet. It is eaten as a main course, typically accompanied with toast or french fries. The preparation of the is either done by the waiter, table-side, or by the customer himself or herself. Filet am'ricain is also sold by butchers as a sandwich dressing; it comes either unprepared (raw ground lean beef) or prepared (with eggs, seasonings, etc.).