- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Lay the 1/4 inch slices of bread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 300 degree oven until dry but not colored, about 10 minutes, turning once so edges do not curl. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Carpaccio Sauce
(makes about 1 1/2 cups)1/4 cup white wine vinegar
12 cornichons (tiny sour French gherkins)
2 cups chopped parsley
2 cloves crushed garlic
3 anchovy fillets
1/2 cup capers
3 tablespoons chopped onion
1/3 cup Dijon Mustard
3/4 cups olive oil- To make sauce, put all ingredients except the oil in a food processor and chop everything coarsely.
- With the machine running, add the oil, drop by drop, until mixture is creamy. Do not overmix.
- Put the sauce in a bowl, cover tightly, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Meat *1 pound very lean top round, sliced no more than 1/16 inch thick (fillet may be substituted)
Note: Since Carpaccio is served raw, buy the freshest meat possible. A hint for slicing the meat thin is to put it into the freezer for an hour or so and slice it almost frozen.
Herb butter
(makes 1 cup)1 tablespoon finely chopped dill, chervil, or tarragon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature- To make herb butter, chop the herbs in the bowl of a food processor, add softened butter, and mix together.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
Presentation - To serve, butter the toasted bread rounds with the herb butter.
- Place a piece of meat on each (make sure to cover the toast completely with meat: “ripple” the meat a bit for a nicer appearance). Top each round with a little sauce.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.