It seems that time-tested, classic recipes are always going through periods of revival.
Take for instance, the resurgence of the ancient method of preservation known as confit. To confit a food, it must be submerged in its own fat and cooked slowly. After the cooking is done, the meat should be cooled in its fat and, once hardened, can be kept in the vessel to preserve the deliciousness for future use. It confuses me when I see items like mushroom confit or tomato confit on a menu. It’s a bastardization of the technique. Vegetables have their own methods and means to be preserved and confit is not among them.
I digress.
One of my favorite classic recipes is steak tartare. The first time I experienced the dish was at the Rainbow Room in New York when I was a just wee one. It was delectable, delicious, and truly memorable. The meat was lovingly cut, the ingredients gently incorporated into the glorious splendor that sat in front of me.
This article appears in Mar 3-9, 2011.