Carpaccio was created by Giuseppe Cipriani, father of the current owner of the famous eatery Harry's Bar in Venice. In a major exhibit of the Renaissance painter Vittore Carpaccio was held in the city of canals in 1950. The intensity of the artist's reds, nuanced with strokes of ochre and beige, impressed Cipriani so much he decided toa create a dish in his honor. As a background he used nearly transparent slices of ox meat, which he salted and peppered and chilled so as to retain the color. For seasoning he made a mayonnaise enriched with Worcestershire sauce, then thinned with hot milk. When it came time to serve, he dipped a spoon in the sauce and dripped it over the meat as if in an abstract painting. Thus was born the first carpaccio that brought international fame to Harry's Bar. The recipe was an immediate success.�

Today the term carpaccio refers to any food cut in thin strips and served with a sauce. The simplicity of the formula allows it to be applied to any number of products. Ox meat can be replaced with duck breast, fowl and even tender ham. The rest of the ingredients and the seasoning is a question of taste. Some people add thin strips of mushroom or� flakes of aged parmesan cheese; others prefer to get away from things classical and enhanfe the red of the meat with the bright green of chopped chives or the soft scent of cilantro. As garnishes, r�cula and toasted bread are excellent.

Fish are great for making carpaccio. Just add some salt and crushed pepper, plus oil and a few drops of lime or lemon. Tuna carpaccio is great, or scallops or shrimp -- in general, any fish or seafood that can be fileted.

One particularly original recipe is cheese carpaccio, which consists of� fine layers of various aged or semi-aged cheeses, seasoned with a vinaigrette sauce enriched with chopped nuts.�

Vegetables also work well, such as new artichokes, cucumbers, zucchini, bulbos de hinojo or mushrooms, sprinkled with oil and bits of cheese, toasted sesame. This with a bit of citrus makes a delicious and light first course.

Don't forget fruit. Try green apple carpaccio with chunks of avocado or roquefort cheese, or pineapple with coconut flakes with a dash of rum and brown sugar.

The secret of preparing the dish correctly is to put the ingredient in the freezer for an hour or two, covered in plastic wrap. Then filet it with a meat cutter or sharp knife.To make the slices thinner, place them between two slices of wax paper and go over them with a roller. It is not a bad idea to fix the dish in advance and keep it in the refigerator until a few minutes bedforeserving. season to tastse.