If someone were to ask me what I would eat as my last meal, beef carpaccio would be a contender. It’s no secret that I love eating meat and seafood as raw as possible, and beef carpaccio, if offered on the menu, is usually my go to. You can also make it at home, if you have access to fresh beef from a reputable butcher which thankfully, is but a five minute drive for me. If you can get Wagyu or Kobe, by all means do it!

This would be a wonderful Valentines Day appetizer as well.

The secret to getting the beef so thin is to freeze it–two hours for every inch thickness of meat.

I offered two ways of preparing beef carpaccio–the traditional, Italian version, and a fusion Asian version which can probably be called beef sashimi rather than a capaccio. I’ve been experimenting with Abokichi’s Chili Miso Oil and you’ll find that keeping a jar of it handy means you can wow your dinner guests with flavors they may not have previously had the fortune to enjoy.

I grow my own sprouts and always have a few different types on hand (including cress, daikon radish, and alfalfa). If you’re curious about how to grow your own sprouts for your kitchen culinary adventures, head over to my sprout growing page here. I also grow my own shiso so if you’re curious about how to grow this herb, click here.

If you are still wary of using beef fully raw, you can quickly sear it over high heat after freezing so the outside will be sterilized.

Traditional Beef Carpaccio

• 8 – 9 thin slices of semi-frozen, fresh raw beef (I used a thick short rib for the intense marbling it offers, a nice ribeye is a close second)
• 1 teaspoon capers
• 2 tablespoons worth of thinly sliced red onion
• Small handful of cress, arugula, or mustard sprouts/Microgreens
• Optional: Shredded lovage
• Pinch of course sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
• Pinch of cracked black pepper
• Drizzle of a fine finishing olive oil

1. Remove fresh beef from freezer (1 hour for every inch of meat), and with a VERY SHARP KNIFE, slice the beef into very thin pieces (1/8 inch).
2. Arrange carpaccio on the platter and garnish with red onions, capers, and greens. Sprinkle salt and pepper over it and drizzle with olive oil.
3. Can be served with toast points or eaten as is.

Chili Miso Beef Carpaccio

• 8 – 9 thin slices of semi-frozen, fresh raw beef (I used a thick short rib for the intense marbling it offers, a nice ribeye is a close second)
• 1 teaspoon minced pickled ginger (Beni-shoga)
• 2 tablespoons worth of thinly sliced red onion
• Small handful of Daikon sprouts
• Shiso leaves, shredded or whole
• Pinch of course sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
• Pinch of cracked black pepper
• Generous tablespoon of Abokichi Chili Miso Oil

1. Remove fresh beef from freezer (1 hour for every inch of meat), and with a VERY SHARP KNIFE, slice the beef into very thin pieces (1/8 inch).
2. Arrange carpaccio on the platter and garnish with red onions, minced pickle ginger, daikon radish sprouts, and shiso. Sprinkle salt and pepper over it and top with a generous tablespoon of Abokichi Chili Miso Oil.
3. Can be served with toast points or eaten as is.

• 8 oz piece of steak, frozen (makes it easier to slice)
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon beef bouillon
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon hondashi powder
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1/4 cup water

• Shiso
• Thinly sliced onion, soaked in water
• Ginger
• Radish dressing (2 parts radish puree, 1 part soy sauce, 1 part lemon juice)
• Wasabi

 

A few weeks ago, I ordered a set of 3 flower syrups (lavender, orange blossom, rose) from Amoretti and have been dying to use them. Originally, I was going to make some flower lollipops but since my garden isn’t currently in bloom, I’ll have to wait until spring before trying it out.

Then I came across fruit salads with flower water and decided I’d try it out. The result was a gorgeous flavor profile that looked beautiful too. I only wish I had some fresh mint (again, it will have to be in spring) for some lovely green. The original recipe called for apples instead of strawberries but I actually found that rose and strawberries are an amazing combination. You can sub for other berries or citrus or firm fleshed fruits like pear, peach, plum, and of course, apples.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon rose syrup
• 8 medium strawberries
• 1 large grapefruit, supremed
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

1. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and toss. Allow to sit for 10 minutes in the fridge before serving, so that the flavors combine well.