Potato millefeuille with tomato and truffle steak tartare

It was Christmas 2023 and I had decided to shine with an appetizer. With truffle, of course. I had also just finished watching an episode of Cooking & Messing I saw a recipe on YouTube about tomato steak tartare. That sounded appealing to me too.

A quick Google search with these ingredients gave me the following recipe from Harold Kookt: potato millefeuille with steak tartare and truffle. Instead of a traditional steak tartare, I'm choosing the tomato version. Not because we're vegetarian, but simply because it's possible. Besides, we already have plenty of meat on the menu, so it's actually a good thing. And I'm incredibly curious about the recipe that Tobias Camman of Koken & Knoeien learned from (green) star chef Niven Kunz of Restaurant Triptique. This promises to be epic, doesn't it?

Want to recreate it? Take a day off. It's not complicated, but it is a lot of work. Read through both recipes before you start:

• potato millefeuille with steak tartare and truffle – for the millefeuille, Parmesan cream and truffle (I didn't make piccalilli sauce)
• tomato tartare for the tomato tartare and the dressing (I didn't make the mayonnaise)

Below I explain how I combined the recipes and which wine I chose to pair them with.

Preparation is half the battle

Let's get straight to the point: making the millefeuille took me about an hour and a half. But don't let that deter you, the result is worth every minute. 'Millefeuille' means 'a thousand layers,' and yes, you do have to build them up layer by layer. A mandoline is faster, but I don't have one. So, a good (and sharp!) cheese slicer is a great alternative, though it does take a bit longer.

Tip: Start a day in advance. This keeps stress at bay and makes cooking much more relaxing. Plus, it's better for your millefeuille, as it can firm up overnight in the fridge. The next day, you can easily cut it into squares and fry them until crispy and golden brown at the perfect moment.

Tomato tartare

The next day (the day of the dinner) I made the tomato tartare. You make it with sun-dried tomatoes that you dry in the oven for 2 to 4 hours at a low temperature, according to the recipe. Mine took about 2.5 hours. It depends heavily on your oven, so check after 2 hours to see how it's doing. You can also make this ahead of time, either a day ahead or in the morning. Make sure you have some leeway. If your oven temperature doesn't work out, you can always make a second batch. Great tip!

Chop the tomato tartare finely and store it in the refrigerator. The dressing for the steak tartare, which you in step 4 of the recipe You can also make it in advance. I only mixed it with the steak tartare at the last minute. I chose not to make mayonnaise, but instead the parmesan cream from the other recipe to deploy.

The supreme moment

Allow about half an hour for this dish to be presented. Start by slicing and frying the potato millefeuille until golden brown. Meanwhile, prepare the Parmesan cream And mix the tomato tartare with the dressing. Choose attractive plates and start plating: first the millefeuille, then a spoonful of tomato tartare, followed by a dollop of Parmesan cream. At the table, finish it off by shaving fresh black truffle over it. Amazing!