Kitfo

I am not sure how to best convey the amazing-ness of this dish, except that it is perhaps the best thing I have eaten lately - right up there with those raw oysters, but better?! (And at home versus out at a fancy restaurant!) It combines warm, browned butter with onions and red pepper, incredible spices, and really nice raw meat. I nearly swooned while eating it, and have been plotting about when I can have it again. If you have been hesitant about raw meat before, this might be the gateway recipe!

Kitfo is a traditional ethiopian dish that is eaten at room temperature, which I enjoy SO much more than a cooler steak tartare (I had no idea until I'd had it this way). The spices and the browning butter smell incredible and waft through the kitchen: ginger and cardamom, chili and fenugreek.

I will confess that my only role in this meal was to discover Kitfo and pass along a few recipes. My Charming Companion actually cooked it, along with a really good (and super simple) cabbage side dish while I took a nap on the couch! The recipe here is a blend of several variations found from a search for kitfo recipes. Certainly any of them will be good, but below is the recipe as I ate it. Mine actually used the steak from a deer that was a really young fawn, so it was probably as tender as possibly available, which made this melt in my mouth. My Charming Companion's turmeric cabbage dish is also below. It used a bunch of green onions from the garden and went perfectly with the kitfo for a very ethiopian style dinner, sans the injera.

Kitfo
1 lb round steak
10 T (or one stick + 2 T) butter
1/3-1/2 c onions, chopped small
1/4 c red pepper, chopped small
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp chili flakes (or cayenne)
1/2 tsp fenugreek
pinch cloves
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 T+ fresh lemon juice
2 T fresh chives, chopped
salt to taste

1. You want to serve your meat at room temperature, but it is easier to chop the meat when it is still a bit frozen. Ideally, you will chop the meat an hour or so before dinner: use a sharp knife and mince just as it is defrosting and still a little frozen. Let it sit out on the counter to fully defrost and get to room temp for dinner. If you don't have that kind of time, you can mince it at room temp and just have it be a little wily, or you can try to warm it very very slowly in a pan over low heat being careful not to cook it at all. (Some people do eat this slightly cooked, so you could do that if you prefer.)

Chopped raw steak!

2. Melt better on medium heat in a small saucepan. Once it is melted, add onion, red pepper and spices and let simmer 10-15 minutes. You want the butter to brown, basically as if you were making ghee with lots of stuff in it! Be sure to stir every so often.

Simmering spiced butter - smells SO good!

3. Add lemon juice and chives for the last couple of minutes. Stir butter mixture into your now room temp meat and serve!

Turmeric Cabbage
3 T coconut oil
1/3 head green cabbage, sliced/chopped thin
bunch of green onions, chopped
1 T turmeric
salt to taste

Melt coconut oil in large skillet. Once it is melted, add cabbage and sautee for 10 minutes on low heat. Add green onions and saute another few minutes before adding turmeric and salt. Stir to coat, and continue cooking another couple of minutes before serving.