Behind the French Menu: Steak

Showing posts with label Steak. Show all posts

Espadon - Swordfish. Swordfish in French cuisine.

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

Mediterranean swordfish

The swordfish is one of the meatiest salt-water fish. Swordfish steaks have a dense texture and a mildly sweet flavor, and that makes it a restaurant favorite. Grilled or fried fresh swordfish with just a few herbs is hugely popular. Despite the ease of frying or grilling swordfish, French chefs often choose recipes that allow them to show more of their skills.

If you see the uncooked swordfish in a fishmongers or supermarket, you may note that from time to time they come in different colors, from pale ivory to orange. However, the color does not reflect the quality or taste instead; it reflects the area where the fish are caught and what they ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Swordfish is a naturally oily fish with more Omega 3 than any other fish except salmon and tuna. The differences in polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat, when compared with salmon are not significant.

A serving of salmon and swordfish

Photograph courtesy of Geoff Peters

www.flickr.com/photos/gpeters/3350273535/

Swordfish on French Menus:

Carpaccio d'Espadon à l'Huile de Sésame, Citron Vert et Ses Œufs de Lompe - A swordfish Carpaccio prepared with sesame oil, lime, and lumpfish caviar. Lumpfish are caught for their roe, and after their roe has been died red or black it is mostly sold as “Lump Fish Caviar.” In France that will be downgraded to œufs de-lump, lumpfish roe, as the word caviar is legally restricted to the sturgeon eggs.

Espadon en Daube - A swordfish stew; a fishy take on the traditional Provençal Daube, a meat and or game stew made with red wine. Here, in this swordfish recipe, the white wine will replace the red, and butter along with crème fraiche will be part of the recipe..

Grilled swordfish with fresh green asparagus.

Photograph by courtesy of Marx Foods.

Espadon Fume – Smoked swordfish; when thinly sliced and served cold as an entrée is a real treat. I have enjoyed, more than once, a mixed platter of cold-smoked salmon and cold-smoked swordfish; they provide an excellent contrast in taste and texture; if it’s on the menu go for it.

Swordfish on sale in the market.

Photograph courtesy of José Antonio Gil Martínez

www.flickr.com/photos/freecat/67077021/

Espadon Mi-Cuit Compotée de Tomates, Olives, Anchois, Pignons de Pin et Câpres – A swordfish steak just seared on each side. The swordfish is accompanied by stewed tomatoes, prepared with olives, anchovies, pine nuts, and capers. There is no better way to enjoy a tuna steak when it is just seared on the outside and uncooked on the inside; this creates two beautiful tastes and textures. (In the UK and North America, a compote is stewed fruits served as a dessert. In France, a compote may also be a stewed fruit dessert, but, just as often, as in this menu listing, it is a dish of stewed vegetables).

Pavé d'Espadon à la Plancha, Pipérade –- A thick cut of swordfish, fried with olive oil on the thick flat metal plate that is called a Basque plancha. The pipérade that accompanies the swordfish is a traditional Basque dish made with the Basque region's famous red peppers, the Piment d'Espelette AOP. In many Basque recipes, these unique red peppers will be fried with onions, green peppers, tomatoes, and garlic. In France, it is unlikely that the pipérade will be very very spicy; however, chefs do have their own ideas, so if you are worried ask.

Tartare d'Espadon à la Poire, Avocat et Éclats de Gingembre – Swordfish Tatar, prepared with pears and avocado and flavored with the glow of ginger.

A swordfish Tatar.

Photograph courtesy of Micaela & Massimo

www.flickr.com/photos/mpirotta/4522815464/

The swordfish on your menu.

In mainland France, the swordfish will be fresh from the Atlantic or the Mediterranean. While the largest European swordfish may reach over 4 meters (13’) from the tip of the sword to the tip of its tail, the local fishermen and women will be catching fish that reach up two meters (6.5’), and that still means one large fish weighing around 120 kilos (265 lbs); just about enough for two steaks with a bit left over for the cat :-)

The swordfish and its sword.

The sword of the swordfish is not used to duel with other swordfish or to spear its lunch; instead, it is used as a club when hunting. When the swordfish swim into a school of fish, it will wave its sword from side to side and stun or wound the smaller fish; then it turns around and eats them.

The swordfish in the languages of France’s neighbors:

(Catalan - peix espasa), (Dutch - zwaardvis), (German - schwertfisch), (Italian - pesce spada), (Spanish - pez espada), (Latin - xiphias gladius).

------------------------------------------

Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

For information on the unpublished book behind this blog, contact Bryan Newman.

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

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Ail - Garlic. Garlic in French Cuisine.

Anchois - Anchovies. Anchovies, Anchoyade and Tapenade in French Cuisine. Looking for Anchovies in the Fishing Village of Collioure.

Avocat, an Avocado in French. Avocados on French Menus.

Basque Cuisine. The Basque Cuisine of the Pays Basque. Ordering Basque Dishes.

Câpres – Capers, the Flavor Bombs. Capers in French Cuisine.

Carpaccio - The Tasty, Thinly Sliced, (Ideally Paper Thin) Dish of Meat, Fish, Vegetables or Fruits in French Cuisine.

Caviar in France. The Different Caviars on French Menus. Sturgeon, the fish, Esturgeon on French menus.

Citron – The lemon; the fruit behind many of France’s culinary successes. Also the Citron Vert - Lime, the Cedrat – the Citron, the Combava – the kaffir lime and the Chadec - the Pomelo.

Crème Fraîche - Creme Fraiche. What is Crème Fraîche? Crème Fraîche on French Menus.

Daube – A Traditional Provencal Stew. Now on Menus all Over France.

Fumé – Smoked. Smoked Foods in French Cuisine.

French Olives on French Menus.

Gingembre – Ginger, the Spice. Ginger is very important in French Cuisine, and Gingerbread is Very Popular.

Pignons de Pin - Pine Nuts from Pine Cones. Pine Nuts in French cuisine.

Piment d’Espelette - The Pepper from Espelette in the Basque Country. Pimenete d'Esplette is Most Popular Chili Pepper in France.

Saumon – Salmon. Salmon in French Cuisine.

Tartare - Tartar on French Menus. Steak Tartar, Fish Tartar and Vegetable Tartar.

The Plancha or Planxa in French Cuisine. The Plancha on French Menus.

Tomate – Tomato. France’s Greatest Tomato, the Tomate de Marmande AOC. The Tomato in French Cuisine.

Thon - Tuna, the Fish. Tuna in French Cuisine.

Tartare - Tartar on French Menus. Steak Tartare, Fish Tartare and Vegetable Tartare.

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

Steak Tartar (Steak Tatare) with French fries and salad.

Photograph by courtesy of Renée Suen.

Steak Tartare also called Tartare de Filet de Boeuf, Bœuf Tartare. - A steak in the manner of the Tartars, the famous and frightening fighters who rode to war under the direction of Genghis Khan beginning in the 13th century. Twentieth-century folklore has the Tartar tribesmen riding to war with raw meat under their horses' saddles. As they rode they were said to cut off pieces of the raw meat with a knife, and eat as they rode; they only stopped riding to sleep. Despite the name, Steak Tartar (Tartare) is far from any real Tartar culinary traditions.

Steak Tartar begins with uncooked ground or chopped beef. Despite the lack of a frying pan or grill, in France, this may be one of the greatest steak dishes that you have ever tasted. Steak Tartar is spiced beef made with fillet steak. Fish and vegetarian versions of this dish are also not cooked.

Tuna Tartare with yoghurt.

Photograph courtesy of Luca Nebuloni.

Your French menu may offer you:

Steak Tartare- Steak Tartar - Hand-cut or ground beef to which will be added onion, parsley, cornichons, capers, and, in France, cognac. Herbs will be added in accordance with the chef’s preferences and all versions of Steak Tartar will have Tabasco or Worcester sauce added for spice. In many recipes, a raw egg yolk will be mixed in just before serving. If you are unsure about steak tartar, but willing to try, begin with an entree of steak tartar; you will be hooked.

For those who enjoy good restaurant theater, some make an enjoyable show of mixing the ingredients in front of the diners; there is no cooking involved. The French Steak Tartare is a spicy dish, but then for most UK and North American visitors, nothing in France is very spicy. You may request more or less Tabasco or Worcester sauce, but I usually ask for more Cognac!

Korean Steak Tartar.

Julienned raw beef seasoned with salt, garlic, and sesame oil.

Served with Korean pear and garlic on top

From the official page korea.net

Steak Tartare (préparé par nos soins), Frites, Salade – Steak Tartar prepared by the restaurant (prepared by ourselves) served with French fries and a small green salad. Here the restaurant is noting that they do not buy ground fillet steak prepared outside. They prepare the steak themselves and so may assure you of its quality.

Steak Tartare Bœuf Fin Gras du Mézenc Coupé au Couteau, Salade Verte et Pommes Sautées, – Steak Tartar made from the fillet of the Bœuf Fin Gras du Mézenc AOC/AOP; this one of France’s finest beef cattle. The beef is chopped with a knife and served with a green salad and sautéed potatoes.

Boeuf Tartare.

Photograph courtesy of goodmami

Steak Tartare Préparé Maison, Servi Cru ou Juste Saisi - Fillet steak, prepared in-house and served either traditionally, uncooked, or very lightly fried. Despite my personal preference for the classic uncooked Steak Tartar, there are others, including French diners who, while not wanting a hamburger, do not want the meat completely raw. Here they have the option of having their Steak Tatar very lightly fried. Many restaurants offer this option either on or off the menu.

Juste Saisi means just ready or lightly seared; a very important cooking term for meat, fish, seafood, and other products that must never be overcooked, or hardly cooked at all.

Tartare de Saumon Épicé – Spicy Salmon Tartar. Unlike Steak Tartare, there is no agreed recipe covering this dish; however, most recipes use spicy sesame oil made from roasted sesame seed, uncooked tomatoes, cornichons for the crunch, and onions. Some recipes add ginger and others Worcester sauce or Tabasco.

Tartare de Thon Rouge - Tuna Tartar. Both French and French-Japanese restaurants offer this dish. I have enjoyed more than one version, including an excellent Temaki Tuna Tartare very similar to the picture below.

Temaki Tartare Thon - Temaki Tuna Tartare

Photograph courtesy of Moonsushi.

Vegetable Tartare – Vegetarian and Vegan Tartar dishes may also be on the menu. The recipes include crunchy fresh vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage with beet-root and possibly radishes or fresh horseradish for spice. Holding the vegetables together will be a flavored mayonnaise and in France, cornichons will be there for there taste and crunch. In France, the mayonnaise will nearly always be freshly made mayonnaise.

Beetroot Tartar.

Photograph courtesy of _zomantha_

In France, Steak Tartar is also very popular as a fast food. Open sandwiches made with Steak Tartar will be served in tabacs, cafes, and in bars. An afternoon French aperitif is not just a drink before dinner. An aperitif may also mean, in French, a friendly afternoon meeting that will include small snacks that often including small Steak Tartar open sandwiches.

Steak Tartare open sandwiches,

Photograph by courtesy of Raj Taneja

Your menu may also offer dessert Tartars:

Strawberry Tartare

Photograph courtesy of junelos.

Ordering a Steak Tartar

with an English or a North American accent.

From my experiences always be ready for questions if you are an English speaker and order Steak Tartare. In more than one French restaurant, having been identified as non-French, and ordering Steak Tartare I have had the server ask me if I realize that this is not a cooked steak. In another case the maître d’ arrived to double-check if I really knew what I was ordering, and repeated the question…” but you must understand it isn’t cooked at all.” I asked why they were so concerned with my choice. It turned out that in this establishment, somewhat on the fringes of any tourist routes, there have been overseas guests who ordered this dish without any idea of what steak tartar was. They had to have their steak tartar cooked and ended up with a hamburger.

Who were the Tartars

The Tatars became famous when the Mongols, in the 13th century, led by Genghis Khan had made the Tartars part of his army. Later the sons and grandsons of Genghis Khan would lead the Mongol invasions with the most feared fighters being the Tartars. At its height, these “hordes” ruled parts of Eastern Europe, all of Bulgaria, and large parts of Siberia. The Tartars were finally defeated by Russia in the 16^th century.

Connected Posts:

AOC and AOP on France's Foods and Wine labels? Why is the AOC becoming an AOP?

Bœuf de Bazas. The Beef on your Menu in France.

Enjoy Steak Tartare, Tartare de Filet de Boeuf, Bœuf Tartare. What is Steak Tartare?

Ordering a Steak in France Cooked the Way you Like it.

Searching for the Finest Beef in France? Try the Bœuf Fin Gras du Mézenc AOC. This very special beef is only on French Menus between February and early June.

Taureaude Camargue AOC. Choose from Among the Best Beef Cattle in France

The Carmague, France. The Land, its People and its Own Unique Cuisine.

Searching for the meaning of words, names or phrases

French menus?

Just add the word, words, or phrase that you are searching for to the words "Behind the French Menu" and search with Google. Behind the French Menu’s links include hundreds of words, names, and phrases that are seen on French menus. There are over 400 articles that include over 3,000 French dishes with English translations and explanations.