Kitfo (Ethiopian Beef Tartare)

You all know I’m a fiend for tartare–beef or fish. So any time there’s a tartare on the menu, I will usually get it just to try. Ethiopian steak tartare, called Kitfo, is aromatic and delicious, spiced with niter kibbeh, clarified butter that’s been infused with spices. Mine tends to be easy because I often don’t feel like clarifying the butter, but you can if you need to store large quantities of it. I absolutely adore this dish and if I visit an Ethiopian restaurant, I will always order it if it’s on the menu.

It’s served with injera (recipe), and in the platter above I have it with a spiced chickpea puree (recipe), fresh farmer’s cheese (recipe), and stewed collards.

If you are going to eat this raw, make sure you get the meat from your butcher and let them know you intend to eat it raw. I used a nice piece of prime rib, but you can use other types of beef–but make sure the fat has been trimmed away.

Recipe:

• 1/2 lb prime rib or another piece of beef
• 2 tablespoons butter or Niter Kibbeh
• 1 tablespoon mitmita (Ethiopian spice mix)
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Cut beef into cubes and place in food processor to blend until smoothly chopped.
2. In a pot over medium heat, melt butter and add mitmita, cardamom, garlic powder, and salt. Gently allow to simmer until fragrant. Mix spiced butter with beef tartare and serve with injera. You can lightly sautee the meat so it’s rare instead of raw.