Filet Américain

Filet américain is raw minced beef mixed with mayonnaise, mustard, onion and capers. It's a Belgian invention, and the name has nothing to do with the United States — the most common account traces "américain" to a marketing choice that made the dish sound exotic and appealing when it first appeared, a detail that surprises most visitors who assume it's an import.

What it really is

Finely minced raw beef, fresh enough to eat safely without cooking, mixes with mayonnaise until it turns pale and spreadable, then folds in finely chopped onion, capers, a touch of mustard and a few drops of Worcestershire sauce for depth. Unlike French steak tartare, which is typically presented as a mound with the raw egg yolk and seasonings arranged separately for the diner to mix in, filet américain arrives already fully mixed and seasoned — closer to a spread than an assemble-it-yourself dish.

It's sold ready-made at nearly every Belgian butcher and supermarket, not just in restaurants. The dish's everyday presence — as a common sandwich filling and fridge staple, not only a restaurant order — is part of what sets it apart from steak tartare's more occasion-driven reputation elsewhere.

How it's served

• Spread thick on bread or toast, or as a filling in a baguette sandwich.
• On a plate with fries as a light meal.
• Cold, straight from the fridge, without any further preparation.

How to write it on the menu

• Flag the egg in the mayonnaise and the mustard.
• Say clearly that it's raw beef, since the name gives no indication of that to a guest unfamiliar with the dish.
• Note the source and handling of the beef, since food safety expectations for raw meat are strict and worth being transparent about.