Kitfo
SERVES 4 – 6
This classic Ethiopian dish may be served either raw or cooked. In our cooked version, sautéed chiles, ginger, and Ethiopian spices perfume the dish. Be sure to serve it warm or at room temperature because when it's cold the flavors become muted.
1 1/2 lbs. beef tenderloin
1/2 cup spiced butter (see recipe for Nit'r Qibe)
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp. finely chopped serrano chile
1 tbsp. finely chopped peeled ginger
1 tbsp. Berbere Spice Mix
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper,
to taste
Fresh lemon juice, to taste
1. Finely mince the beef with a large knife, transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.
2. Melt the spiced butter in a 10" skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, chile, and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and aromatic, about 2 minutes. Stir in the berbere until well combined, then add the meat and cook, stirring frequently, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and lemon juice, and serve with Injera.
ok...this is really not authentic at all. first, you don't cook kitfo - it is to be eaten raw, just like steak tartare. also, there should be nothing but the spice butter (warmed to just above room temperature) mixed into the meat. you add heat with mitmita, an earthly dried spice powder that is an essential condiment.
i absolutely applaud saveur for taking on one of the most delicious and complex cuisines on earth, but please keep it real!
This recipe *does* get right that the meat should be chopped, not ground. It retains a much, much better texture that way.
I expect more from Saveur.