Jean Doherty

Some chefs have taken to naming any dish of thinly sliced protein ‘Carpaccio,’ but this dish was originally made with raw beef. It was first served in “Harry’s Bar” in Venice, Italy. Harry’s Bar? Yes, a strange name for a Venetian bar. As the story goes, Harry Pickering, a heavy drinker and son of some rich guy from Boston, borrowed money from a bartender.

He paid the bartender off some years later tenfold. Enough for the bartender to open his own establishment in 1931 which he called Harry’s Bar.

Harry’s Bar has been frequented by loads of famous people – Ernest Hemingway, Truman Capote, Orson Welles, and Woody Allen among them.

In 1950, the countess Amalia Nani Mocenigo ordered raw meat (apparently by doctor’s orders) and the dish was named Carpaccio by Cipriani the owner–in reference to the Venetian painter Vittore Carpaccio, because the colors of the raw meat and mustard sauce reminded him of paintings by Carpaccio.

• 8 to 10 ounces beef tenderloin from
the tip end of the roast
• Salt and Freshly ground black pepper
• Shaved Parmesan
• Fresh raw button mushrooms
(optional)
• Capers
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Extra virgin olive oil

Roll your meat in plastic cling film, make it round or rectangular; you are the chef. Pop it in the freezer and freeze the beef until almost frozen, about 1 1/2 hours (this makes it easier to cut into very thin slices). Using a large sharp carving knife, or a slicer, slice the beef as thinly as possible. Arrange the beef slices on a serving platter, or directly onto individual plates. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, the capers and the parmesan shavings. Most chefs serve a small rocket (Arugula) salad or fries with this.

Jean Doherty is the Chef and Owner of Le Patio Restaurant in Wilton Manors (954) 530-4641