Recipe: Biff Lindström (Beef Tartare)

the appetizer:

The Scandinavian Cookbook by Trina Hahnemann, includes recipes like Elderflower Cordial; Smørrebrød (Smoked Cheese Salad on Rye); Biff Lindström; and Meatballs with Thyme, Green Cabbage, and Lingonsylt.

Cookbook

Biff Lindström

Serves 4

Biff Lindström, a slightly spicy meat patty sweetened with beets, is best as a Sunday lunch or as a hangover cure after a long night out. It is sometimes served with a fried egg on top. This is my Swedish version, but there are many variations. In Denmark, bøf tartar is a dish of raw meat with all the condiments and an egg yolk on top. I'm not a fan of raw meat (I like raw fish better) and therefore prefer biff Lindström to bøf tartar.

1 onion, minced
2 tablespoons capers, minced
2 tablespoons Pickled Beets with Star Anise (below), minced
2 tablespoons minced chives
1 pound ground beef
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
Olive oil, for cooking

Fried Potatoes

2 pounds potatoes
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil

Balsamico Beans

10 ounces green beans
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons superfine sugar

Combine the onion, capers, beets, and chives in a mixing bowl with the ground beef, egg yolks, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Shape into four hamburgers and season on both sides with salt and pepper.

Make the potatoes. Boil the potatoes in a large pot of salted water until tender, then drain. Once they are cool enough to handle, peel and cut into even-size cubes. Heat the butter and olive oil in a sauté pan and cook the potatoes, turning them regularly, for about 10 minutes or until crisp. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Make the beans. In a steamer basket, steam the beans for 5 minutes; drain well. In a small pan, stir together the balsamic vinegar and sugar and simmer for 3 minutes. Toss the beans in the balsamic glaze until hot.

Meanwhile, cook the burgers in olive oil for 3 to 8 minutes on each side, depending on whether you want them medium or well-done. Serve with the potatoes and balsamico beans on the side.

Pickled Beets with Star Anise

Makes 4 cups

2 pounds small beets
Salt

Brine

3 cups distilled vinegary
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1 star anise
1 tablespoon peppercorns

Peel the beets and boil them in salted water for about 20 minutes—maybe a little less. Check them after 10 minutes: they have to have some bite and are best if not too soft.

While the beets are boiling, make the brine. Bring the vinegar, sugar, star anise, and peppercorns to a boil in a pot, whisking until the sugar has dissolved. Turn the heat off and let cool.

Drain the cooked beets and, when cool enough to handle, cut into X-inch slices. Pack them in a sterilized jar, pressing them together. Pour over the brine and seal tightly. Let rest for 1 week before serving.