All the Carpaccios!
Traditionally speaking, carpaccio is a layered dish of razor-thin slices of raw beef dating back to mid-20th-century Italy. And we love it. But these days, just as tartares have moved beyond beef, so have carpaccios.
There’s tuna carpaccio. Salmon carpaccio. Pear carpaccio. So long as you have a sharp knife—and a mandolin or hand peeler for vegetable carpaccios—the possibilities are endless.
Here are some of our favorite versions:
Photo credit: Everyday Food
Pears and prosciutto. Salty proscuitto is an ideal foil for sweet, juicy pears, while a splash of balsamic vinegar adds a welcome acidic note to each bite.
Beef, capers, and rosemary. Beef is the classic carpaccio protein for a reason. Stir-fried rosemary and capers add pungent, briny notes, and a finishing brush of fresh lemon juice adds brightness.
Salmon, lemon aioli, and pork rind crumble. ”Top Chef” winner Paul Qui created this treat, in which silky slices of fatty salmon are dotted with bright lemon aioli and crunchy bits of crushed pork rinds.
Photo credit: Food52
Yellow beets and sunflower sprouts. Rejoice, vegetarians: Meat-free carpaccios are the real deal. Try earthy beets dressed up with tangy lemon juice, thyme, and minced chives. A handful of fresh sunflower greens add a wonderfully nutty element.
Sunchokes, almonds, and grapefruit. Thinly sliced raw sunchokes, which have a delicate, slightly sweet flavor, are balanced by tangy grapefruit juice and the crunch of blanched almonds.
Melon and lime. For dessert, try this spicy-sweet number: Paper-thin slices of vibrantly green honeydew mingle with ribbons of fiery jalapeño, fragrant vanilla beans, and fresh mint.
Photo credit: Everyday Food
Zucchini and mint. Raw zucchini, with its subtle natural sweetness, gets a zing thanks to slivers of spicy red onion and tart lemon juice. Fresh mint leaves add a cool, herbaceous note.
Sea bass, coriander, and grapefruit. Sea bass gets the citrus treatment with coriander-coated segments of bitter grapefruit. A garnish of thinly sliced scallions and dill add a little color and a lot of taste.
Tuna and citrus-ginger dressing. In this Asian-inspired twist on carpaccio, tender strips of rich tuna are lightly splashed with an umami-rich dressing of soy sauce, ginger, red wine vinegar, and spicy jalapeño.
