It's unfortunate that some people don't appreciate good quality when they see it... but today I am standing my ground and talking about horse meat.

As many of you know, we've been serving horse meat at L'escargot bleu since 2010 and we've never looked back. It's cooked in many different ways and it's very popular with our customers.

Just last month I was even invited to cook haggis with it. At first I was a bit sceptical, not reluctant, but I had to think about making the haggis first. Being a French man I had to make sure I could come up with a proper dish that would please all of my gourmet followers! I was very pleased with it and from the feedback I received, it seems that I must have done well.

I've also created a recipe with horse meat and I wanted to share it with you here. Go and experiment and I can assure you, you won't be disappointed.

Here is a little background on horse meat. The horses are usually free range and they're also free from the health problems that occur when animals are bred for maximum muscle. Horse meat is one of the healthiest meats for human consumption. The meat is low-fat, iron-rich and abundant in vitamin B. Numerous physicians recommend the consumption of horse meat. Horse meat comes from animals that move a lot, eat healthy food and live a full life. All of these factors improve the quality of the meat. Furthermore, horses are not susceptible to diseases such as BSE, swine or bird flu. It should therefore come as no surprise that horse meat is one of the healthiest meats available.

With all of my suppliers and producers, I go to great lengths to ensure the dignified treatment of live animals, during their life and during their time at the slaughter house. Any meat in our restaurants is from animals that have been extremely well treated.

I buy the horse meat from two different farms. I can only recommend buying online as a private consumer, so my top tips would be to make sure you ask about the provenance and you're also well advised on what kind of animal it's been sourced from. I remember seeing horse meat for sale at George Bower in Stockbridge but I'm not sure if they still stock it. You could give it a try. If you have any questions or feedback please feel free to leave a comment below the line. Usual forum rules apply.

Enjoy cooking and bon appétit.

Fred

Tartare d'onglet de cheval - horse meat tartare

 

Serves four

Ingredients

400g horse meat, hanger steak

1 onion/shallot, peeled and diced very finely

½ garlic clove, crushed

2 tbsp. parsley, finely chopped

2 tbsp. chives, finely chopped

2 tbsp. chervil, finely chopped

2 tbsp. tarragon, finely chopped

1 dash of ketchup

1 dash of olive oil

1 dash of Tabasco

1 dash of Worcestershire Sauce

1 tbsp. baby capers

1 tbsp. chopped gherkins

1 egg yolk

Salt and pepper

To serve

Croutons

Green salad

Sautéed potatoes

Top tips

The meat and the rest of the ingredients should only be mixed when you are ready to serve. Do not mix and then place it back in the fridge. The meat should be as fresh as possible. I use hanger steak as I love the texture - it is a meat with a little bit of resistance, not too tender, and perfect for tartare.

Method

1.    Cut the meat into chunks using a very sharp knife. The size of the pieces is up to you - either very fine or slightly larger chunks. Set the meat aside in a mixing bowl and refrigerate while you prepare all of the other ingredients.

2.      Chop the remaining ingredients and place them all in the large mixing bowl with the meat. Season well with salt and pepper.

3.      Add the egg yolk and mix using a large wooden spoon. Mix well for a couple of minutes and taste. Season again and taste again until you've got it right. Serve with croutons, a green salad and sautéed potatoes.