Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Beef
- 320 g beef tenderloin, center cut, trimmed
Vinaigrette
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 3 anchovy fillets, minced to a paste
- 20 ml red wine vinegar
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 5 g dijon mustard
- black pepper, freshly cracked
Salad & Garnish
- 100 g fennel bulb, shaved paper thin
- 60 g baby arugula, washed and dried
- 15 g capers, drained
- 30 g parmesan cheese, shaved into ribbons
- 4 lemon wedges
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 298 kcal
- Protein
- 21 g
- Carbohydrates
- 5 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 259 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 52 mg
- Potassium
- 496 mg
- Calcium
- 138 mg
- Iron
- 2.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 38 mg
- Phosphorus
- 247 mg
- Zinc
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 53 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 10 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 42 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.15 mg
- Niacin
- 3.5 mg
- Folate
- 25 mcg
- Water
- 115 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Tightly wrap the beef tenderloin in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. This firms the meat, making it significantly easier to slice thinly.
While the beef chills, prepare the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk together the minced shallot, anchovy paste, red wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly to emulsify. Season with black pepper. (Salt is likely unnecessary due to anchovies).
Shave the fennel bulb as thinly as possible using a mandoline or sharp knife. Place the shavings in a bowl of ice water for 10 minutes to make them extra crisp and curl slightly, then drain and pat dry thoroughly.
Remove beef from freezer. Using a very sharp knife, slice the beef across the grain as thinly as possible (aim for 2-3mm).
To achieve the classic paper-thin texture, place each slice of beef between two sheets of plastic wrap. Gently pound with the flat side of a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan until the meat is translucent and doubled in surface area.
Arrange the pounded beef slices on four chilled serving plates, covering the surface in a single layer without overlapping too much.
In a mixing bowl, lightly toss the arugula and shaved fennel with half of the vinaigrette. Pile this salad in the center of the beef.
Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette directly over the exposed beef. Scatter capers and shaved Parmesan over the dish. Serve immediately with lemon wedges if desired.
Chef's Notes
- Safety first: Inform your butcher you intend to eat the beef raw (carpaccio). They can often provide a trimmed piece from the center of the tenderloin.
- Chill your plates in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before serving; this keeps the fat in the beef firm and pleasant on the palate.
- For the Parmesan, use a vegetable peeler on a block of Parmigiano-Reggiano to get nice, wide curls rather than grated dust.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Best consumed immediately. Raw meat oxidizes and loses texture quickly.
Troubleshooting
Beef tears while slicing
Cause: Knife is dull or meat is too warm
Fix: Freeze for another 15 minutes; slice slightly thicker and rely on the pounding step to thin it out
Prevention: Sharpen knife before starting and ensure meat is partially frozen
Dish tastes too salty
Cause: Combination of anchovies, capers, and parmesan
Fix: Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or more oil to cut the saltiness
Prevention: Do not add salt to the vinaigrette; rinse capers if they are salt-packed
Cultural Context
Invented in 1950 by Giuseppe Cipriani at Harry's Bar in Venice, Carpaccio was named after the Venetian painter Vittore Carpaccio, whose works featured the characteristic deep red and white colors found in the dish. Originally served with a mayo-based sauce, this vinaigrette variation offers a lighter, brighter acid profile.
