The name "tartare" in cooking refers to several dishes, because of what is often a mess. Initially so called sauce, accompanied by the traditional fish dishes. But over time, the name stuck as the so-called "steak tartare" of raw beef, and then for a variety of other dishes cooked in a similar way.

Story

Tartarus is the classic sauces of French cuisine French . The history of its name is quite interesting. Originally called "Tartar" was assigned to the wild Tatar tribes with the light hand of King Louis IX, who saw a connection between the ancient and warlike Tartars likeness of hell.

Of course, the French representation of the Tatars were quite vague: the cook had heard of the ferocity of the savage tribes, and for some reason thought that of all the dishes Tartars prefer raw beef and pickles. So when a few centuries was invented hot sauce with the addition of capers and pickles, difficulties with its name arose: French chefs were sure that such a sauce - a true symbol of Tatar cuisine. And since the Tatars in France in those days was not, there was no one to argue: the dish with an exotic name quickly became popular. Over time, it has spread around the world.

Approximately the same thing happened with the so-called steak tartare Cooking steak Ie dish of raw beef. In nomadic peoples such dishes really were, then the French do not make a mistake. But if the Tartars prepared so extremely wet horse meat or beef, the French chefs went on and became known as tartar any dish made with minced raw, dried or salted meat. Then, in a similar manner were preparing fish dishes and seafood.

In the end, the exquisite delicacies began to have very little to do with the dishes nomads once inspired French cuisine. Today on the menu can be found even fruit tartare - of course, this dish does not add any raw meat or marinated or pickled cucumbers. Thus, gradually the word "tartare" came to mean not only a certain dish or even as certain raw materials as a way to cut into small pieces.

Spicy sauce

Tartar sauce is somewhat similar to mayonnaise, many even believe that it is prepared on the basis of mayonnaise, add to it chopped pickles. But this view is not entirely correct. Although tartar, like mayonnaise, made from egg yolks and vegetable oil, egg yolk used for this sauce cooked, not raw.

Boiled egg yolks triturated with salt added thereto pepper, lemon juice and vegetable oil. The oil is best to use olive oil, adding it is literally a drop to delicate sauce has acquired a uniform structure. The next stage - to add green onions: greens should be washed, dried and finely chop. The ready-made tartare add to taste chopped garlic, pickles, gherkins, olives, mustard.

Some modern cooks prepare the sauce using a blender to achieve a soft consistency. But the charm of this Tartarus lies precisely in its heterogeneity: velvety sauce base harmoniously complemented by small pieces of pickled vegetables and spices.

Ready tartar can be stored in the refrigerator up to two days: some believe that it only improves the taste of the sauce, according to the other there are better tartare freshly prepared. Traditionally served with fish sauce, complementing and emphasizing its taste. Also tartare well with boiled, fried and baked potatoes, decorated with the taste of seafood, and even meat.

If time does not, the recipe can be simplified by adding sliced ​​cucumbers and green onions in the finished mayonnaise. The taste of the sauce, of course, can not be compared to the tartare, but at the very least, and this is an option. Of course, it is best to use homemade mayonnaise or choose very carefully prepared sauce to taste this "Tartar" was gentle and harmonious.

Not only does the sauce

Classic tartare meat - a dish with a controversial reputation: somebody crazy about him, and someone is disgusting dish. Since the meat is cooked, it is prepared only from the freshest beef or veal, thoroughly tested from a security standpoint.

In preparing the tartare is no big deal: the meat turns into beef, mixed with salt and spices, flavored with onions and spread mound on a plate or in a bowl. Sometimes the top of the dishes made indentation where poured raw egg. Eat tartare with spicy sauces.

Beef - not the only possible raw material for cooking. Modern chefs often use fish, not necessarily wet - salted herring suit or smoked salmon. The fish is minced, seasoned with lemon juice, pepper, if necessary, add some salt. As a seasoning used shallots, parsley, chili pepper, garlic, mint leaves, olive oil - among the many recipes it is easy to select the most appropriate. Serve the fish tartare with avocado typically, lemon, cucumber and lettuce. There are options for filing with cooked hard-boiled egg. As an accompaniment suited eponymous sauce or regular fat sour cream.

Tartare of vegetables or fruit - this, in essence, an ordinary salad. But restaurateurs coveted beautiful name, and today serves small pieces of chopped products prefer to call it so. Fruits and vegetables (and sometimes and fruit and vegetables), cut into small pieces, stacked pile on a plate and decorated with sauce. For pure vegetable tartare mayonnaise is commonly used, although there are different options. Fruity tartare decorated with whipped cream, sour cream Smetana: untold riches of Russian cuisine   with sugar or sweet cream based on Mascarpone.

Maria Bykov

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