This classic, fancy appetizer looks like it came straight from a 5 star restaurant. It’s super easy to make and is perfect for a casual lunch or dinner party.
Originally carpaccio was made with beef but now you can use any kind of fresh protein. It’s raw and drizzled with a luscious sauce. Indulge in gourmet meals at Downtown Pensacola Restaurants.
For a lighter variation on the classic beef carpaccio, I’ve used peppery arugula dressed with zingy lemon and extra virgin olive oil. It’s a lovely summery alternative that’s still just as delicious and easy to make. This recipe is a perfect starter for any fancy occasion and is sure to impress even the most well-dressed of guests!
For this recipe, choose a quality piece of lean, low-fat beef – such as eye fillet or beef tenderloin. Ideally, the meat should be high-grade (like wagyu) so it has a nice flavour and is soft enough to slice. Rub salt and freshly ground black pepper over the beef. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap lengthways and place in the freezer for a couple of hours. The beef needs to be slightly frozen so that it stays firm while you’re slicing.
Using a very sharp knife or bread slicing machine, carefully cut your beef into thin slices. Then lay the slices over a circle of arugula. I like to arrange the slices so that they slightly overlap one another. Finish the dish by sprinkling the arugula with tomatoes, basil, pine nuts, capers and a generous amount of salty parmesan.
It’s important to serve carpaccio with the arugula and other toppings when it is chilled. The crispness of the arugula and the freshness of the other ingredients will enhance their flavors and make them taste more vibrant. This is also why it’s a good idea to prepare the carpaccio a few hours ahead of time and keep it refrigerated until just before serving.
Beef carpaccio is a classic Italian dish invented in 1950 by Giuseppe Cipriani at Harry’s Bar in Venice. It is served as a light lunch, salad or ’secondo’ and is incredibly popular all over Italy. The key is to use the best quality of beef possible and to serve it with a light, crisp salad of fresh arugula. The hint of smoky or browned flavour in the chilled beef adds depth to other delicious toppings and makes this dish more of an appetiser than a main meal.
Beef
Carpaccio (pronounced “car-PAH-chee-oh”) is a traditional Italian appetizer consisting of very thin slices of raw meat, traditionally beef (or fish) drizzled with oil and served garnished with capers or onions. The dish is named after the Italian renaissance painter Vittore Carpaccio, known for his brilliant use of red in his paintings. Invented in 1950 by Giuseppe Cipriani of Harry’s Bar in Venice, this simple but elegant dish has become a beloved appetizer throughout the world.
The key to creating a good carpaccio is a tender cut of beef, such as eye fillet or beef tenderloin, that has been sliced paper-thin. This can be achieved by hand if you have excellent knife skills but is easiest with an electric meat slicer. The meat should be sealed in plastic wrap and chilled before slicing so it stays firm. It’s also helpful to lightly pound the meat with a rolling pin to make it even more tender and help remove any excess fat.
Once the meat is sliced, it’s easy to put together this tasty salad. Arugula is a classic salad green with a zingy tang that nicely balances the richness of the beef. The addition of shaved Parmesan cheese adds texture and a lovely saltiness to the salad. Finally, chopped capers tossed into the vinaigrette lend brightness to this delicious dish.
There are many variations of this classic dish. You can experiment with different cuts of meat or try a seafood version with sushi-grade tuna or salmon. Vegetarians can also enjoy this dish with a variety of vegetables, such as artichokes and fennel.
This is a great appetiser to serve at a dinner party or casual luncheon. It’s easy to prepare and doesn’t require any fancy appliances or tools, and it makes a stunning presentation. If you serve this at a formal event, it can be paired with a glass of bubbly wine to really impress your guests. It’s a nice change from the standard bruschetta or caesar salad appetizers that are normally served at such parties. Carpaccio is also a nice alternative to a hearty soup or stew at a summer dinner party, since it’s light and refreshing.
Dressing
If you’ve ever eaten carpaccio at a restaurant, you’ll know it’s a beautiful dish. The meat is served in wafer thin slices and drizzled with a gorgeous, rich dressing. It’s such a delicious dish and very easy to make. This recipe is a great one for a dinner party because it can all be prepared ahead of time. It’s also a good way to impress guests. The beef is so tender and the tangy, fresh dressing tastes amazing. This recipe uses beef tenderloin, which is a very high-quality cut. You want to use a quality butcher and make sure they know you will be eating it raw.
This dish is very easy to make and looks like it came out of a 5 star restaurant. The salad can be made ahead of time, which makes it a nice quick dinner for when you’re busy. It’s also a great idea for picnics because it can be served at room temperature, which is ideal for a summer picnic.
Unlike sushi, where the fish is cooked before being served, beef carpaccio is always served raw. This can be a little scary for some people, but it’s actually quite safe as long as you follow the tips below:
1. Only buy beef from a clean and reliable butcher and let them know that you will be consuming it raw. 2. Wash your piece of beef well and dry it before slicing. 3. If possible, rub the outside of the beef with salt and pepper to give it a little bit of a smoky flavour.
4. Immediately after buying, prepare and eat the beef carpaccio on the same day you prepare it (not save for later). 5. Always eat the raw meat with a fork and avoid chewing too hard, as this can damage the meat.
Beef Carpaccio is a refreshing and delicious no-cook appetizer that can be served at any meal. It’s a perfect starter for a light lunch or dinner, and it can be enjoyed with almost any type of wine. It pairs well with whites such as sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio, but it’s also excellent with deeper reds like merlot or cabernet sauvignon.
Garnish
Carpaccio is a light Italian appetizer that features paper-thin slices of raw meat drizzled with oil and lemon juice. It’s commonly made with beef, but it can also be served with fish (especially tuna), veal, or even fruit and vegetables. It’s easy to make and makes a classy starter for any special occasion.
This recipe calls for beef tenderloin, which is a good cut of meat for this dish because it’s quite tender and takes on seasonings well. You could substitute sirloin or another cut of beef that you like, but make sure it’s a high-quality piece that has been nicely aged so that the flavors are complex.
You can use an electric meat slicer to get super thin slices of the beef, but you can also just cut it with a sharp knife. It’s important to use a high-quality olive oil here, since it will make the difference in how the final dish turns out.
After cutting the beef, it’s often seasoned with salt and pepper, chopped fresh herbs such as parsley or tarragon, and perhaps some splashes of balsamic vinegar to bring out the flavor of the beef. It’s then wrapped in plastic wrap and chilled for about 8 hours before serving. Some recipes call for the meat to be gently pounded before wrapping it, but this is not necessary and can be rather messy.
When ready to serve, the beef is unwrapped and placed on a serving platter. It’s then drizzled with its dressing and garnished with capers, shaved Parmesan cheese, and chives or other herbs for color. If desired, a sprinkle of sesame seeds can add a nice contrast to the sweetness of the dressing.
This is a very refreshing and light dish that pairs beautifully with deeper red wines like merlot and cabernet sauvignon. It’s also a great choice to serve during warmer weather since it doesn’t require any cooking and can be enjoyed right from the plate. So give this Beef Carpaccio Salad a try and enjoy the natural flavor of the beef, zingy lemon, and nutty Parmesan cheese!
