It’s that time of year again. The time of year when saccharine sweet cliches converge and I allow my inner cynic to run free. If you have read last years Valentines Day post, you already know my history, for those of you who haven’t here is the abbreviated version. I have always had terrible Valentines Days, thankfully Phil is with me on this. Instead, we take delight in celebrating Anti-Valentines Day, using heavy sarcasm instead of poetry, coffee in place of champagne and thick black clothing instead of my little black dress. Last year I shared my Anti- Valentines Day Garlic and Anchovy Soup with you and this year I have decided to keep up the tradition with something a bit more macabre.
Now I know that the words ‘potted meat’ as well as ‘beef heart’ tend to send shivers down the spines of many and believe me I get it. Potted meat may not be much to look at but, trust me we had potted meat for the first time a few years ago in England and now I can’t get enough of it. It’s like our librarian told us when we were kids, “you can’t judge a book by it’s cover”.
For my own potted meat, I decided to do sort of a play on the flavors of beef carpaccio, a favorite of mine. Beef is usually so heavy, I wanted to give it a bright, refreshing flavor. I chose the beef heart because the intense flavor would be able to stand up to flavors of lemon, capers and herbs.
Happy Anti-Valentines Day!
Potted Beef Heart
2 TBS Olive Oil, to moisten the pan
1/2 Beef Heart, trimmed and diced
3 Shallots, sliced
1 Small Garlic Clove, minced
Sel de Mer, to taste
Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste
2-4 TBS Olive Oil, enough to help bind the beef
1 Freshly Squeezed Lemon
3 tsp Dijon
2 TBS Basil, chopped
3 TBS Capers, soaked and drained to remove the excess salt
To Serve:
Parmesan or pecorino shaved
Baguette, sliced and toasted
In a large saute pan warm the olive oil over medium heat and add the beef heart, sea salt and pepper. After a few minutes, add in the shallots and garlic, cooking until the beef is cooked through and shallots are soft.Remove from the heat and carefully place in your food processor. Add in the olive oil Dijon, lemon juice and basil, pulse until smooth Add in the capers and pulse lightly to distribute the capers, but not enough to pulverize. Check for seasoning, adjust and place in little pots or a terrine, cover well and chill.
Serve with a good crusty loaf of bread, shavings of pecorino romano or parmesan to top, a green or carrot salad and a nice crisp glass of white wine.
Oh, Erin. YOU ROCK! I knew there were other Anti-Valentine folks out there…
This sound so magnificent, seriously.
Wow, you really threw me with the title of the post, but I’m totally with you on the Anti-Valentine’s day. While we don’t actually celebrate it that way (afterall, our first date was on V-day, but it WAS to attend an Anti-V-Day party…), we basically don’t celebrate it at all. In fact, the only thing the holiday is good for is post-holiday chocolate sales! And, since we don’t eat beef, I will now have to come up with something similar to use in place in this recipe…it sounds pretty yummy, despite the beefy…I wonder if poultry hearts would work; or perhaps I’ll have to play around with big beefy mushrooms…But I DO like the tounge-in-cheekiness (or is that heart-in-cheek?) of the recipe! Cheers!
Jen, Although we didn’t do anything this year, we like to do things like exchange the most un-romantic gifts possible. Last year Phil got me a used clipboard. Isn’t he wonderful!
Lydia, I haven’t had chicken hearts in a very long time, so the flavor is escaping me, but the mushroom idea sounds great. Sure the consistency would be much different, but what a combo. I may have to try that.
My friend Jane and I sent each other ‘You are sooo not my Valentine’ cards. I hate it with a passion and not merely because I’m single. I hate the commercialism of emotion.
Potted Beef Heart… to be eaten while listening to Trout Mask Replica? Or is Trout Mask Replica your next Anti-Valentine’s day recipe?!
A used clipboard… sigh! Did you get him socks?
I’ve never had beef heart, and it’s been a while since I’ve had chicken hearts but I recall them being somewhat tough and chewy; I can’t imagine they’d make for a very smooth potted meat.
What a perfect antidote to Valentines day, Erin. Richard and I celebrated with the understated British staple, beans on toast– but only only because we were too lazy to do anything else.
Griffin, If it really makes someone happy that’s great, but for myself I happen to agree. I find flowery cards, pink or heart shaped items a little insulting. . . unless I can eat them. I believe last year’s theme was old office supplies, I think I gave him and old pencil with teeth-marks. I’ll seriously consider TMR for next year!
Les, Beans on toast, how anti-romantic! Hmm. . . that sounds really great. I think I may have to do this for dinner tonight.
You know, in France potted meat is called “rillettes”. That has a nice ring to it! I’ve made rillettes of salmon, rabbit, duck, pork and crab. I’ll think about beef heart!
Debbie, I had contemplated using that name, but it is just far too lovely of a word. mmm, duck rillettes!
I get objects thrown at my head whenever I say, “Every day is Valentine’s Day in our house” to someone. Seriously. I have stitches all over my dome from last week’s annual trash toss.
Brian and I declared war on Hallmark long ago. We just put on a slasher film or a little Tarantino and eat a big vat of fiery chili with extra beans (C’monnnnn, ICE CREAM!!) and settle in for the least romantic night of our lives, just to make sure we still love each other in the morning. Last one to fall asleep with the gas mask on gets coffee in bed.
Knifethrower,
That is awesome.
Yeah… awesome and slightly scary… gas mask?!!
Spending anytime at sea with a crew of 50+ guys, stories like Knifethrower’s brings back memories. Disturbing but funny memories.
LOVE the Anti-Valentine’s sentiment since someone decided it needed to be a National Shopping Day instead of a time to pass out tiny Valentine cards in elementary school. But I just can’t go with you on potted beef heart. Sorry. I love you, babe, but I can’t.
Can’t say exactly if it’s the concept of beef heart or the memory of itty-bitty little cans of “potted meat” with little read devil’s on the label. I’m talking 50’s, of course. And I haven’t seen them (thank god!) since I got out of elementary school way back then but the awful memory lingers I just can’t get past it.
Not that I don’t trust your culinary lead, kiddo, but… ;>
Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed your Anti-Valentine’s Day, your beef heart and your sweetie!