Beef Carpaccio with Rocket and Parmesan

Ingredients

• 400 g beef sirloin, trimmed of all fat and sinew
• 60 g arugula
• 60 g Parmesan, in a block for shaving
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp capers, rinsed and patted dry
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• salt to taste

Method

1. 1.

   Firm the beef in the freezer — Wrap the trimmed beef tightly in cling film into a firm even cylinder and freeze for 40 minutes. It should be stiff at the edges but not frozen solid — that is what lets you slice it thin.

2. 2.

   Whisk the lemon dressing — Meanwhile whisk the lemon juice with the Dijon mustard and a good pinch of salt, then whisk in the olive oil in a thin stream until the dressing thickens slightly. Chill four flat plates in the fridge.

3. 3.

   Slice the beef paper-thin — Unwrap the chilled beef and slice it as thinly as you can against the grain with a long sharp knife, laying the slices flat as you go. Work quickly so the meat stays cold.

4. 4.

   Flatten and plate the slices — Lay each slice between two sheets of cling film and flatten it with gentle strokes of a rolling pin or the flat of a heavy pan until it is almost translucent. Arrange the slices in a single overlapping layer on the chilled plates.

5. 5.

   Dress and top with Parmesan — Season the beef with salt and the black pepper, spoon the dressing over in fine ribbons, then pile the rocket in the middle. Scatter with capers, shave the Parmesan over with a peeler and serve at once with lemon wedges.