Carpaccio di Manzo con Enoki e Parmigiano: Italian Beef Carpaccio by Chef Marco Porceddu

Carpaccio di manzo is a study in thinness, temperature, and restraint. Chef Marco Porceddu arranges delicate beef tenderloin across chilled plates, then adds capers, Parmigiano Reggiano, black pepper, extra virgin olive oil, and enoki mushrooms. A little lemon and tender celery can provide freshness without obscuring the meat.

The dish originated in Venice and has become a broad Italian language for ingredients served in very thin slices. In beef carpaccio, excellent meat remains central. Cheese supplies savoriness, capers give acidity and salt, mushrooms add texture, and olive oil connects every element.

Traditional carpaccio uses raw beef, which carries a foodborne illness risk. Buying premium or expensive meat does not eliminate that risk, and freezing for slicing does not make raw beef safe. Pregnant people, young children, older adults, and anyone with a weakened immune system should avoid raw or undercooked meat. A seared or fully cooked variation is included for a safer choice.

Servings and Timing

Servings: 4. Prep Time: about 25 minutes. Cook Time varies with the cut and technique described above. Total Time: follow the doneness and resting cues in the method rather than the clock alone.

Recipe Information

Servings: 4. Prep Time: about 25 minutes. Cook Time varies with the cut and technique described above. Total Time: follow the doneness and resting cues in the method rather than the clock alone.

Preparation time: 35 minutes

Chilling time: 45 minutes

Difficulty: Moderate

Ingredients

450 grams center cut beef tenderloin from a trusted butcher

100 grams enoki mushrooms

One quarter cup drained capers

One half cup shaved Parmigiano Reggiano

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste

Finely grated lemon zest

Freshly cracked black pepper

Fine sea salt

1 tender inner celery stalk with leaves, optional

Serves 4

Preparation time: 35 minutes

Chilling time: 45 minutes

Cooking time for mushrooms: 8 minutes

Difficulty: Moderate

Who Should Choose the Cooked Version

Anyone in a group at higher risk for foodborne illness should not eat raw beef. Guests who are uncertain, uncomfortable, or following medical advice should receive thoroughly cooked meat prepared separately. Clear communication before service is essential.

Acid, oil, salt, pounding, and domestic freezing do not sanitize raw meat. Lemon changes flavor but does not cook beef in the food safety sense. Carpaccio is a deliberate raw preparation and should never be presented otherwise.

Choosing the Beef

Ask a reputable butcher for a whole, intact center section of beef tenderloin and explain that it is intended for carpaccio. Discuss the source, handling, and whether local regulations or guidance impose additional requirements. Keep the meat continuously refrigerated at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder.

The tenderloin should have a clean aroma, deep fresh color, and firm texture. Prime grade or Wagyu may offer more marbling, but grade does not determine microbial safety. A lean tenderloin is often easier to slice and produces a cleaner, lighter plate.

Transport the meat in an insulated bag with ice packs. Prepare it the day it is purchased whenever possible. If its temperature history, package integrity, or freshness is uncertain, do not serve it raw.

Preparing a Clean Station

Wash hands, then clean and sanitize the knife, cutting board, mallet, counter, plates, and bowls. Use a nonporous board. Keep raw beef separate from cheese, capers, lemon, celery, and cooked mushrooms.

Prepare garnish ingredients before opening the beef package. Once the raw meat reaches the board, remain focused and avoid touching refrigerator handles, spice jars, or ready to eat food with contaminated hands.

Cooking the Enoki Mushrooms

Enoki should not be served raw. Trim away the root base, separate the clusters, and rinse them briefly under cold water. Dry with a clean towel. Keep raw enoki away from other ready to eat ingredients and wash hands and surfaces after handling.

Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a clean skillet over medium heat. Add the enoki and a small pinch of salt. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring, until thoroughly hot, softened, and lightly golden in places. Transfer them to a clean plate.

Cool the mushrooms quickly, then cover and refrigerate. They must be completely cold before touching carpaccio. Thorough cooking addresses the known food safety concern associated with raw enoki and gives them a more savory flavor.

Trimming and Chilling the Tenderloin

Remove the tenderloin from its package with clean hands. Using a very sharp knife, trim away silver skin, surface fat, and any dry exterior. Do not rinse the meat because splashing can spread raw juices around the sink.

Wrap the trimmed tenderloin tightly and place it in the freezer for 30 to 45 minutes. The goal is a firm exterior and cold center, not a frozen block. Partial chilling makes precise slicing easier. It is a texture step only and should not be confused with a validated safety treatment.

Slicing the Beef

Place the chilled tenderloin on the sanitized board. Cut across the grain into slices about 5 millimeters thick. Use long smooth strokes rather than sawing. Divide the slices into four equal portions.

Keep three portions covered and refrigerated while working with the first. This prevents the meat from warming and maintains a clean texture. Wipe the knife with a clean disposable towel between portions.

Pounding between Sheets

Place one portion between two sheets of food safe plastic or parchment on a clean board. Arrange the slices close together but not heavily overlapping. Use the flat side of a clean meat mallet or a small smooth pan to tap from the center outward.

Continue until the pieces spread into an almost continuous thin sheet. Do not strike hard enough to tear or turn the meat into paste. Uniform gentle pressure creates translucency while preserving structure.

Peel away the top sheet. Place a chilled serving plate upside down over the meat, support the lower sheet, and turn everything together. Remove the remaining sheet carefully. Return the plate to the refrigerator and repeat with the other portions.

A Sliced Wagyu Variation

Highly marbled Wagyu is often better sliced paper thin with a sharp knife rather than pounded. Firm it briefly in the freezer and arrange overlapping slices directly on cold plates. Pounding can smear delicate fat and make the texture heavy.

Wagyu remains raw beef and carries the same basic food safety concern. Price, breed, and marbling do not replace responsible sourcing or change who should avoid the dish.

Preparing the Dressing

Whisk 3 tablespoons of olive oil with lemon juice, a small amount of zest, and black pepper. Leave salt out at first because capers and Parmigiano Reggiano are already salty. The dressing should be bright but not sharply acidic.

Taste it with a caper and a shaving of cheese. Add more lemon only if the complete combination feels heavy. A large amount of juice can turn the surface of the beef gray and mask its flavor.

Assembling the Plates

Remove one cold beef plate at a time. Distribute capers and cooled cooked enoki evenly. Add broad, delicate shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano and optional paper thin slices of celery heart.

Spoon the dressing lightly across the plate. Finish with black pepper, a few celery leaves, and the remaining olive oil. Taste one small edge before adding salt. Often none is needed.

Serve immediately after dressing. Do not leave raw beef plates on a buffet or warm table. The meat should be distinctly chilled when it reaches the diner.

A Safer Seared Variation

For guests who prefer cooked edges, leave the tenderloin whole and sear every exterior surface in a very hot clean skillet. Use fresh utensils after searing, cool the meat rapidly, and slice the cooked exterior with the rare center according to the guest’s comfort.

Searing the outside reduces surface contamination but does not make a rare center appropriate for every high risk guest. For the safest version, cook beef thoroughly to an appropriate internal temperature, rest it, chill it, and slice it thinly. Prepare high risk portions separately with clean tools.

Understanding the Garnishes

Capers should be drained and rinsed when extremely salty. Small capers distribute more evenly than large berries. Parmigiano Reggiano is best shaved just before serving so its aroma remains fresh and the pieces do not dry.

Celery heart is Chef Marco’s optional suggestion. Its pale inner stalk and leaves add crunch and a clean herbal note. Slice it nearly transparent so it supports the meat rather than dominating each bite.

Preparing Ahead

Cook and chill enoki several hours ahead. Drain capers, shave cheese, and mix dressing shortly before service. The tenderloin can be trimmed and wrapped earlier the same day, then partially chilled just before slicing.

Do not pound and plate raw beef many hours ahead. Surface area increases greatly, the edges dry, and cold control becomes harder. Complete this work close to serving time.

Chef’s Perspective

Carpaccio and Venetian Identity

The modern dish is associated with Venice, where thin raw beef was paired with a pale sauce and named for Vittore Carpaccio, the Renaissance painter known for vivid reds and whites. Over time, the word expanded to describe many thinly sliced preparations.

Chef Marco’s capers, Parmigiano Reggiano, mushrooms, pepper, and olive oil belong to that later, flexible language. Tagging the recipe with Veneto recognizes the birthplace of beef carpaccio while allowing the chef’s version to retain its own ingredients.

Managing Four Cold Plates

Place four plates in the refrigerator at least 20 minutes before assembly. Work on one at a time and return each completed undressed plate to the refrigerator. Add dressing and delicate garnishes only when the entire table is ready.

Do not stack prepared plates. Cover each without letting wrap touch the beef, or use a clean covered tray. Keep the interval short. Chilling supports quality, but it does not make extended raw storage safe.

Scaling for a Reception

Raw carpaccio is not ideal for a long self service buffet. If serving a reception, prepare small plates in controlled rounds and keep them refrigerated until each round is carried directly to guests. Discard any plate left warm beyond a safe interval.

A cooked roast beef carpaccio is more practical for a larger event. Cook, chill, and slice the meat, then arrange the same capers, thoroughly cooked mushrooms, cheese, and dressing. This preserves the visual concept with simpler service.

Alternatives to Enoki

When enoki are unavailable, use cooked oyster mushrooms, cremini, or king trumpet mushrooms. Slice them thinly, cook until thoroughly hot and lightly browned, then chill on a clean plate. Each variety changes texture but supports the same earthy contrast.

Avoid substituting an unfamiliar mushroom intended only for cooking and then serving it raw. Follow package instructions and buy cultivated mushrooms from a reliable market. Wild mushrooms require expert identification and are outside the scope of this recipe.

Using a Knife instead of a Mallet

An experienced cook with a long slicing knife can cut partially firm tenderloin almost paper thin and avoid pounding. Hold the blade nearly parallel to the board and make one smooth drawing motion. Never force the knife toward the supporting hand.

Arrange the thin slices in overlapping circles on each plate. This method preserves the natural grain and may be preferable for very tender beef. Pounding remains useful when slices are slightly thicker or irregular.

Balancing Temperature and Flavor

Beef should be chilled for safety and clean texture, but an ice cold plate can mute olive oil and cheese. Remove each plate only at the moment of dressing. The few minutes spent finishing and carrying it to the table allow aromas to open without an extended warm hold.

Use room temperature olive oil so it flows in a thin stream. Keep lemon, capers, cheese, and cooked mushrooms cool. This modest temperature contrast lets the dressing become fragrant while the meat remains cold.

Olive Oil Quality

Because oil is not cooked, its quality is immediately visible. Choose an extra virgin olive oil with clean fruit, gentle bitterness, and a peppery finish. An extremely robust oil can overpower tenderloin, while a stale oil damages the entire plate.

Taste the oil alone before using it. Store the bottle away from light and heat and close it promptly. Four tablespoons are enough for four portions when distributed carefully.

Allergen and Dietary Communication

Parmigiano Reggiano contains milk. Capers may be packed in vinegar or salt, and packaged ingredients can carry additional allergen information. Read labels and keep separate utensils when preparing an adjusted plate.

For a dairy free version, omit cheese and add a few toasted hazelnuts only if nuts are appropriate for the guest. For a lower sodium plate, reduce capers and cheese rather than simply omitting the final pinch of salt.

A Complete First Course

Serve carpaccio with crisp bread or grissini and a small bitter leaf salad. The accompaniment should provide crunch and freshness without covering the thin beef. A substantial pasta afterward can complete the Italian meal.

For a lighter lunch, accompany the carpaccio with roasted potatoes and dressed greens. Anyone receiving the fully cooked version should have a clearly separate plate so there is no uncertainty at the table.

Using Tenderloin Trimmings

Clean trimmings can be cooked thoroughly in a small pan for the cook, added to a sauce, or reserved for another cooked dish within their safe storage period. Do not include silver skin, which remains tough, or pieces whose handling is uncertain.

Keep trimmings refrigerated in a covered clean container and never combine them with cooked leftovers. Responsible use does not mean extending raw meat beyond safe limits.

Final Plate Check

Look for even coverage before adding more garnish. Every quarter of the plate should contain a few capers, mushroom strands, cheese, and dressing. Empty areas taste plain, while crowded areas become salty.

Lift one edge with a fork. The beef should separate cleanly from the chilled plate. If it sticks, the plate may have been wet or the meat pounded excessively. A few drops of olive oil beneath later portions can help.

Bring carpaccio directly to seated guests and repeat that the classic version is raw. Good service includes informed choice as well as attractive presentation.

Seasoning in Layers

Do not salt the raw tenderloin while it waits. Salt draws moisture to the surface and changes its appearance. Let capers and cheese season the first bite, then place only a few crystals where needed immediately before service.

Freshly cracked pepper should remain coarse enough to provide aroma but not so large that one fragment dominates a slice. Grind it over the finished plate.

Chef Marco Porceddu’s carpaccio is visual and direct. A broad layer of beef becomes the canvas for white cheese, green capers, fine mushrooms, pepper, and olive oil. The success of the plate comes from even thinness and disciplined garnish.

Modern execution also requires modern food safety. Thoroughly cooking enoki, respecting raw beef risk, protecting cold temperature, and offering a cooked version allow the original composition to be served with greater care.

Professional Technique

Bring the meat to an appropriate working temperature, dry the surface before searing, and respect the resting period after cooking. Use a thermometer when the cut benefits from precise doneness. Braised preparations should simmer gently rather than boil, while quick-cooking cuts should be removed from heat before carryover cooking pushes them past the target.

Mistakes to Avoid

Warm beef becomes soft and difficult to slice. Chill the tenderloin, tools, and plates, then work in small portions. A dull knife forces pressure and creates ragged slices.

Heavy pounding tears the meat. Use repeated gentle taps and stop when it forms a thin sheet. Too much lemon makes the surface watery, while too much cheese turns the plate salty and hides the tenderloin.

Raw enoki is not an appropriate garnish. Cook it thoroughly and cool it with clean handling. Do not return cooked mushrooms to the raw mushroom board or container.

Chef Gianluca’s Recommendation

For the best result, prioritize ingredient quality and execute the basic technique cleanly before adding decorative touches. The finished recipe should taste balanced first; presentation comes second. Make the final adjustment for salt, acidity, sweetness, or texture immediately before service, then serve without unnecessary delay.

Wine Pairing

Moscato d’Asti DOCG — aromatic sweetness and fresh acidity match the dessert without making the finish heavy.

Vin Santo del Chianti Classico DOC — oxidative complexity and balanced sweetness complement baked, nutty and pastry flavors.

Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG — red-fruit perfume and gentle sparkle refresh the palate between sweet bites.

Nutrition per Serving

Approximate nutrition per serving: 560 calories, 1.48 oz protein, 0.85 oz carbohydrates, 1.09 oz fat, 0.35 oz saturated fat, 0.14 oz fiber, 0.21 oz sugars, 760 mg sodium, and 135 mg cholesterol. Values vary with the cut of meat and serving size.

Storage and Cleanup

Carpaccio should be eaten immediately. Do not save dressed raw beef from a guest’s plate. Refrigerate unused intact tenderloin within its safe storage period or cook it thoroughly for another meal.

After preparation, wash and sanitize every surface and tool that touched raw beef. Replace contaminated towels, wash hands, and keep raw meat packaging away from other food.

Chef Gianluca