Smørrebrød with Pariserbøf, Raw Egg Yolk and Capers
Pariserbøf with raw egg yolk and capers © kvalifood.com
Pariserbøf is a Danish invention despite the French-sounding name — a flat patty of minced beef, seared quickly over high heat so it is cooked on the outside but still completely raw inside. In practice it’s a steak tartare that has had 30 seconds of pan contact, and it’s served with the same classic accompaniments: raw egg yolk, capers, red onion, cornichons and horseradish. The technique requires a smoking-hot pan and precise timing — fry it too long and the whole point is lost. It’s been a fixture on Danish restaurant lunch menus since the mid-20th century and sits somewhere between everyday food and something more considered.
Ingredients
Yields 4 servings
Pariserbøf
- 400 g minced beef (12–15% fat), shaped into 4 flat patties
- salt
- pepper
- 1 tbsp butter, for frying
To serve
- 4 slices white bread, toasted
- butter, for the bread
- 4 raw egg yolks
- 1 red onion, cut into thin rings
- 3 tbsp small capers, drained
- 4 cornichons, finely chopped
- freshly grated horseradish
- pickled beetroot (see recipe #40)
- watercress
- coarsely ground black pepper
- flaky salt
Directions
Pariserbøf
Shape the meat into 4 flat patties (approx. 1.5 cm thick). Season with salt and pepper. Fry in butter over very high heat — 30 seconds on each side. The patty should be cooked on the outside and still completely raw inside.
To serve
Spread the toasted bread with butter. Place a patty on top. Make a small hollow in the centre and place a raw egg yolk in it. Arrange onion rings, capers, cornichons and pickled beetroot around the patty. Grate fresh horseradish over. Garnish with watercress, pepper and flaky salt.