Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you go
Serves 4-6
- 600g (1.3 lbs) lean beef (see tips for cut recommendations)
For the dressing
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
- Fleur de sel, black pepper (preferably cracked)
For the garnish (choose your favorites)
- 1 bunch fresh basil
- a handful of arugula leaves
- About 10 capers
- A cluster of cherry tomatoes, halved
Serve as a starter with a green salad or arugula, or as a main course with fries or sautéed green beans.
- If the meat was purchased fresh, place it in the freezer for about 20 minutes—this makes it easier to slice beautifully thin pieces. Using a large, smooth, well-sharpened knife, work on a large serving platter that you’ve brushed with oil and lemon juice. Cut very thin slices of beef and arrange them in a circle (rosette pattern), avoiding overlap.
- In a bowl, mix the lemon juice or balsamic vinegar with the olive oil.
- Drizzle the slices with the vinaigrette, then add your choice of garnishes: basil, olives, capers, cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced fresh mushrooms, antipasti-style vegetables marinated in olive oil (artichokes, for example). Season with salt and pepper, and serve.
Tips
Here are some beef cuts that work well for carpaccio—you want lean cuts:
Top sirloin (rump steak), beef tenderloin (filet), ribeye, eye of round. Don’t hesitate to ask your butcher for advice.
You can prepare the sliced beef arranged on the platter a few hours ahead and refrigerate covered with plastic wrap pressed directly against the meat. Add the dressing and garnishes just before serving.
If you enjoy carpaccio, you might also like the fish version, salmon carpaccio.