Luke Powell's Beef Tartare

METHOD

1. Trim the beef of any sinew and cut it into 5mm (¼ in) cubes. Put the beef cubes in a bowl and dress with the smoked olive oil.

I like to do this to coat the beef first and keep the other acidic ingredients from discolouring the meat (this may be a placebo, but I do feel it offers some waterproofing attributes).

2. Add the remaining ingredients and gently fold them together, taking care not to mix too vigorously as it can cause the mix to turn cloudy. This doesn't affect the taste but can ruin the aesthetics of a bright and defined tartare.

3.Taste the mix and assess what it needs. If you think it needs a bit more heat, add a small amount of hot sauce. If it needsmore piquancy, add a tad more mustard. More umami or savouriness? Add a splash more fish sauce.

Throughout, adjust theseasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste. Be careful to not overload the tartare and make it so you can only endure one mouthful. It should be balanced, nuanced and delicious. Serve with your favourite vessel and thinly sliced radishes.

WINE MATCH

The layers of flavour in the tartare mean that it's perfect with a medium-bodied yet complex red like Grenache or a Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre blend.