Beef carpaccio is a classic Italian dish made from paper-thin slices of raw beef, traditionally served with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh lemon juice and finished with raw onion and capers.
It had it’s not-so-humble origin in the famous Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy in the 1950’s. Restaurateur and hotelier, Giuseppe Cipriani created the dish for the Countess Amalia Nani Mocenigo. The story goes that the Countess was under doctor’s orders to avoid cooked meats. Keep in mind that this was also an era where doctors delivered babies while smoking a cigarette!
I had the distinct pleasure of dining at Harry’s Bar in Venice while traveling Europe on my honeymoon. And, of course, I had to try one of their famous Bellini cocktails…or three. I’ve also dined at Cipriani Downtown in Soho, NYC. And yes, I’ve eaten the carpaccio in both places. Because beef carpaccio is one of my favorite things.
During my days at Ruth’s Chris Steak House, they served up a mean beef carpaccio. This was back when the Chef would trim the tenderloins in-house for service. The chef would remove the “tail” portion of the tenderloin, which is the end of the tenderloin that is too small to sell as a steak. The chef would then freeze all the tenderloin tips and slice them razor-thin on a slicer right before serving. The slices were so thin that the frozen meat would have a chance to thaw by the time the dish made it to the table and would be the perfect temperature to enjoy. Sadly, it has long since been taken off the menu.
In my opinion, Brio Italian Grille serves up a worthy, 2nd place beef carpaccio. They finish it similarly to the Ruth’s Chris version, which is drizzled with Caesar dressing and capers. Brio also tops theirs with lightly dressed mixed field greens. A nice touch. And the seasoned lavash crisps add a crunchy texture to the appetizer that some say is missing from the original dish.
Beef Carpaccio is getting harder and harder to find on American menus. Perhaps because it’s popularity has waned over the years, or because Americans are concerned about consuming raw beef. I can understand this concern and I recommend using only high-quality, tenderloin when serving carpaccio. It also helps to sear the outside of the tenderloin before slicing it. And always keep the meat very cold and refrigerated until consumption.
Ingredients
- 8 oz. filet of beef, raw
- 2 long lavash flatbreads
- 2 cups mixed field greens
- Caesar Dressing (see mention below on Tavern on the Green’s Classic Caesar Dressing)
- Jarred capers
- Drizzle of EVOO
- Drizzle of sherry vinegar
- Sprinkle dried oregano
- Sprinkle dried basil
- Sprinkle garlic powder
- Sprinkle kosher salt
- Sprinkle finely grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the lavash bread on a sheet tray and drizzle each with EVOO. Brush the EVOO over the entire bread. Top each lavash with the oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt, and grated parmesan. Place in oven for 5 minutes or until cheese becomes slightly browned. Remove and set aside.
Slice the beef very thinly. It may be easier to slice if you froze the beef for 20 minutes, first. Using a meat mallet, pound each slice of beef to paper-thin. You may want to cover each slice with a piece of plastic wrap for easier pounding.
To Plate:
Display each piece of pounded beef onto a platter. Sprinkle a pinch of kosher salt over the beef and top with some of the jarred capers. Drizzle the beef with the Caesar dressing. Toss the field greens with a drizzle of EVOO and sherry vinegar. Place a large handful of the greens on top of the beef, in the center, and garnish with triangles of the lavash crisps.
Serve with Brio Italian Grille’s Pasta Brio and The Tavern on the Green’s Classic Caesar Dressing and Enjoy!
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