Many people are turned off by the texture of raw meat and I understand them. Follow these simple tips and you will change your mind.

Unless you own an electric meat slicer, you will never be able to achieve a perfect cut like at the restaurant. This is to your advantage, though. By slicing the meat with a sharp knife and then thinning it down with a tenderizer, it breaks up the fibers and gives it a very nice mouth feel. The meat litterally melts on your tongue. If you have a good relationship with your butcher, who knows, he may even slice it for you. Call ahead because the meat needs to be partially frozen before it is sliced.

Only use very fresh meat from a reputable source and remember, if you are immunosuppressed or pregnant, you should not be eating raw meat.

Ingredients:

75 g to 100 g of filet mignon per person
the juice of half a lemon
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
1 fennel bulb, hard core removed
Parmigiano-Reggiano, shaved with a vegetable peeler
baby arugula
Fleur de sel and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon wedges for serving

Method:

1. Store the filet mignon in the freezer until it is semi-frozen.
2. Cut the fennel in a small dice and put in a bowl with the lemon juice, olive oil and a big pinch of salt. Let it marinate for at least 15 minutes.
3. Using a very sharp knife, cut thin slices of meat.
4. Place the meat slices between two sheets of plastic wrap and whack them down with a meat tenderizer or a heavy pan until very thin.
5. Use the plastic wrap to transfer the meat to the plate. Arrange the slices by overlapping them a bit. Drizzle a nice amount of olive oil on it and season with fleur de sel and pepper.
6. Scatter the parmesan shavings on the meat, then the diced fennel along with a bit of the marinade and garnish with a bit of baby arugula just to make it pretty.
7. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.