Autumn Vegetable and Meat Tempura

To prepare the autumn vegetable and meat tempura, start by preparing the mixture of aromatic herbs to flavor the beef fillets. In a mortar, pour in the green peppercorns and salt 1. Add the washed and dried rosemary leaves 2. Begin to rotate the pestle to grind the ingredients into a fine mixture 3.

You will need to obtain a very fine mixture 4: place a quarter of it on a cutting board and lay the fillet on top 5. Then, with another quarter of the mixture, season the surface of the meat as well 6. The entire fillet should be well covered, and repeat the process for the second fillet. Let the meat rest at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes to allow the aroma mixture to season it.

In the meantime, focus on the tempura by washing and drying the vegetables. Then peel the carrots and trim them, doing the same for the zucchini 7. Cut the carrots into thin slices lengthwise using a mandolin 8: this way, you'll get slices of equal thickness, about 2-3 mm. Do the same for the zucchini 9.

Now that you have the slices ready, coat the carrots and zucchini in flour (10-11): the slices should be well coated on all surfaces. Set these vegetables aside for now. Proceed with the cleaning of the artichokes: rub your hands with lemon or wear gloves. Cut 2-3 cm off the tips of the artichokes, then remove the tougher outer leaves and the final part of the stem, as well as any remaining thorns. Use a paring knife to remove the outer fibrous layer. This way, you will have cleaned the artichoke 12.

Proceed to clean the inner fuzz: cut it in half and use a small knife to remove all the inner part of the artichoke 13. Then slice it lengthwise into thin slices about 2-3 mm thick 14. Immediately flour the artichokes as well 15: this way, you won’t need to immerse them in acidulated water to prevent browning.

Now focus on the How to Clean Porcini Mushrooms: remove the earthy part with the help of a small knife by scraping it off 16 or with a brush if there is little dirt. If the mushrooms have a lot of dirt, even though it's not a recommended procedure, you can quickly rinse them under a stream of cold water and dry them immediately with great care 17 to avoid the mushroom absorbing water. Then cut them into thin slices, also about 2-3 mm thick, lengthwise 18. Flour the porcini as well and set them aside.

Now you have all the sliced and floured vegetables ready to prepare the tempura 19. Prepare the batter: take a bowl and pour ice cubes into it, placing a metal bowl on top (metal is the suitable material for this preparation because it is an excellent conductor of temperature) 20. Break an egg into the metal bowl and add the ice-cold water in a thin stream while continuing to mix with a whisk 21.

Then add the flour gradually 22 and mix it with the other ingredients. Try not to overmix: it will be enough for the flour to absorb the water. Heat the seed oil in a large pot until it reaches a temperature of 340-355°F: use a kitchen thermometer to measure it 23. Then start dipping the artichoke slices into the batter 34.

Then drop them into the oil, which is now at temperature 25: you can fry a few pieces at a time 26 but no more than 4-5, otherwise the oil temperature will drop, and the tempura will not be crispy. It will take about 2-3 minutes of frying for each batch of vegetables. Be sure to turn the pieces halfway through cooking to ensure optimal tempura: the artichokes should obtain the characteristic white color (not golden) on both surfaces. When they are ready, lift them from the oil using a slotted spoon 27.

Transfer them to a tray lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil 28. Repeat these steps to fry the other vegetables and porcini mushrooms. Only at the end, add salt 29: the vegetable tempura is ready, and you can set it aside 30.

Finally, cook the meat: place the beef fillets on a hot grill for about 2 minutes 31. Then turn them over to ensure even cooking 32 and let them cook for another 2 minutes. If you prefer the meat less rare, cook for 1 more minute on each side. Cooking time will need to be adjusted based on the thickness of the meat you have chosen. Your seasoned beef fillets are now ready: place them on a plate, optionally cutting a few slices, next to the vegetables. Then enjoy your autumn vegetable and meat tempura while it's still warm 33!