Food Infidelities.

I feel like I've just cheated on my fishmonger with my butcher.

I get my fish from Jamie at the Fresh Fish Market on 17th Street. I get my meat from Burt at Burt's Butcher Shoppe on Warm Springs. It's good to be friends with your purveyors - you're pretty much guaranteed fresh, superb seafood and meat, much better than what you can ever get at a grocery store. Most of you know this having lived in cities where fresh meat and seafood were available. But let’s face it: we currently live in culinary hell. We drive 130 miles ONE WAY to go food shopping in Atlanta.

Anyway, I stopped buying fish from "Big Grocery Store Chain" [name changed to protect the innocent and to prevent said chain from suing my ass] after I became friends with one of the guys at the fish counter who told me in a fit of confidence one day, "You know, I always wonder how people can eat sushi. The fish that comes in every day are crawling with worms."

Sushi. Ah. That's discussion for another day.

But nematodes in my fish: I DON'T THINK SO. I returned the tuna I'd just bought and stopped buying from "Big Grocery Store Chain," period. (Actually after the "Big Grocery Store Chain" thing I stopped eating fish for a while unless it was being prepared for me at MF Sushibar because I knew Chris, the chef/owner had fish flown in fresh every day). I'm willing to pay an extra few dollars but I'm pretty sure that what Jamie gets was twitching at least one to two days before. Jamie can also do special orders for me -- so when I'm craving sea urchin, Jamie can have it for me within two days. And the cost of his large lobster (not the skinny chicken lobsters at grocery store tanks) is $12.99 a pound. Money well spent, especially if I'm craving a lobster risotto. So. Recently Jamie started carrying gourmet items (truffle oils, aged balsamic vinegar, etc – PLUS). He’s also started carrying organic, “clean-fed” meats. Jamie is an outstanding fishmonger. I will always love him for calling me last fall and shouting, “WE HAVE BLUEFIN! Come in right now!”

But … I’m a huge fan of steak tartare. I remember the first time I ever saw it, on my 30th birthday in Les Halle. I was out at dinner with my friends Lan and Peggy and one of Lan’s photographer friends, who ordered it. I was completely taken aback by what appeared to be raw ground beef. Who knew that I’d be smitten after having a dish at Les Halles? I’ve been eating it rather frequently lately. My friend Kellie valiantly tries not to vomit when she watches me eat this stuff (she hates onions and meat loaf).

I buy my meat from Burt. Jamie carries super quality stuff – I wouldn’t expect less of him. But when I call Burt and say, “It’s Cathy” and he interrupts and says, “One and a half pounds. It’ll be right here waiting for you,” that’s just quality, you know? I mean, let’s face it: I’m eating RAW MEAT. With raw eggs. This is Burt’s specialty. Just like sashimi grade fish is Jamie's.

And still, I feel like I’ve been stepping out on Jamie even though this is Burt’s domain. Man. I gotta stop taking things so personally.

Tony Bourdain’s “Les Halles Cookbook” steak tartare recipe is the one I’ve been using. Mainly cuz I started eating Steak Tartare there. Great with fries. I’ve modified this to suit my own preferences. The important thing he says, is to use fresh sirloin. 1.5 pounds theoretically handles 4 people. Or 1 Ki and 1/2 an Hubby (who was revolted at first before he started reaching for hunks of my steak tartare).

STEAK TARTARE based on Tony Bourdain’s "Les Halles Cookbook" recipe.

Whisk two egg yolks with 2 T of Dijon mustard. Add 1 T Tabasco sauce (I add about 2-3 T), 2 T Worcestershire, 2 T ketchup (Heinz 57!). Mix well. Slowly pour 1/3 cup salad oil (vegetable or corn oil; I used grapeseed), whisking to create an emulsion. Add 1 T Cognac. Stir in capers and finely chopped onions and cornichons. Chop the sirloin finely. Don’t use a food processor; it’ll destroy the meat. Add sirloin to the marinade. Mix well. Shape into patties. Using a fork, drag the tines across the top to create a nice light grid pattern. Serve immediately on chilled dish with frites.

Comments

[Andi]

I was googling around trying to find a shop that sells sushi grade fish in Atlanta and your site popped up. Is your fish place on 17th in atlanta? I was trying to find an address/phone number but no luck. Any info?
Thanks.