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Steak l’Americaine
At what age would you allow your child to eat raw beef? This is a tricky one, right? Of course I’m sure many of you are thinking, “um, never?” because steak tartare is not as commonly eaten in the US as it is in, say, France. But it happens to be one of my absolutely favorite dishes, bonus if there is a raw egg yolk on top. (I know!) And while there is a risk from eating raw beef, if handled correctly the risk is actually very low. Only people with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses should be very careful to never eat undercooked meat. (And eggs for that matter.) Infants, as in babies, are generally thought to fall into the “immature immune system” category and are at higher risk for more severe illness should they fall prey to food poisoning. But how exactly should I categorize an almost-2-year-old who licks the playmat at Gymboree on a regular basis? And worse than that, how could I deny her the joy?
We were having dinner with friends this weekend and they decided, having just returned from a month in France, to whip up a tartare for us. Complete with raw onion, capers, gherkins and herbs. It was delicious. And Eva, my darling little carnivore, went absolutely insane when she saw me digging in. Complete with sobs and big fat crocodile tears when I said no. So I gave in. Because I’m a sucker.
And that child proceeded to eat ½ my plate, licking the meat off the toast points I had so thoughtfully provided for her. Warmed up, she then ate a good portion of the grilled broccoli in lemon before sucking clean 3 lamb chop bones with her little tiny teeth. It was good to see those sharp little suckers being used for something other than leaving marks on her sister, but even so, it was a little terrifying.
Some days she doesn’t eat but one berry. And other days it is, apparently a red meat free-for-all. No, I do not advise feeding small children undercooked food. The government wouldn’t approve and my job is to keep people as safe as possible. Especially when an E.coli infection can mean severe illness, even death in rare cases. Then again, spinach and bean sprouts are as notorious a source of E.coli as raw beef. And it wasn’t hamburger (where the bacteria laden intestines are likely to contaminate) but a hand chopped sirloin. From a very clean cow. (Or so they claimed). Plus, little French kids seem to do okay. Just like the little Japanese and their sushi. Even if it did make me a bit nervous.
But all that aside, it was simply delicious. How could I say no?
The information herein is not intended to replace the services of trained health professionals, or be a substitute for medical advice. You are advised to consult with your health care professional with regard to matters relating to health, and in particular regarding matters that may require diagnosis or medical attention.
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