Caffeine Free Beef Carpaccio with Arugula and Capers
Raw beef done right is one of those dishes that feels impossibly elegant yet comes together with just a handful of quality ingredients. The tenderloin gets a brief stint in the freezer to firm up, making it easy to slice paper-thin and pound until nearly translucent — a technique that transforms a humble cut into something genuinely stunning on the plate. A bright dressing of lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, and a touch of ground ginger ties everything together with a citrusy lift that cuts through the richness of the beef beautifully. Peppery baby arugula, briny capers, and fresh parsley and chives finish the platter with color and contrast. Every single ingredient here is naturally free of caffeine, so there's no label-reading required — just fresh, whole foods doing exactly what they're supposed to do. The key is sourcing the freshest, highest-quality beef tenderloin you can find from a trusted butcher and keeping it cold right up until you plate it. This is the kind of dish that looks like it came out of a restaurant kitchen but rewards anyone willing to spend a little time with a sharp knife and a rolling pin.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the carpaccio
- 8 oz beef tenderloin, trimmed of any sinew
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
For serving
- 2 cups baby arugula
- 2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh chives, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Wrap the beef tenderloin tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for 25–30 minutes, until the exterior is firm to the touch but not frozen solid — this makes slicing and pounding much easier.
- 2
Remove the beef from the freezer and unwrap it. Using a very sharp knife, slice the tenderloin crosswise into rounds as thin as possible, about 1/8 inch thick.
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