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| 2 pounds beef tenderloin in 1-inch cubes | 2 teaspoons thyme |
| flour for dredging | 1 bay leaf |
| 2 Tbl. butter | 8 red potatoes, quartered |
| 2 Tbl. oil | 8 carrots, sliced |
| 2 cloves garlic, minced | 4 stalks celery, sliced |
| salt and pepper | 8 tiny white onions |
| 2 cups dry red wine | up to 1/4 C Cognac (optional) |
| 2 cubes beef bouillon dissolved in 2 cups of boiling water | 1-2 cups tomato juice |
| 1 baking potato, peeled and grated | handful fresh parsley, finely chopped |
| 1 onion, studded with 2 cloves |
Dredge meat in flour. Melt butter and oil over medium heat in large pot; add garlic. Cook the beef just to rare; remove from pot and refrigerate. Add wine and bouillon to pan and scrape up bits stuck to bottom. Add pepper, potato, onion, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to boil, cover and simmer 1 hour. Add potatoes, carrots, celery, white onions and Cognac; simmer 1/2 hour. Add tomato juice, as necessary for nice gravy. Adjust seasonings only if necessary. Add beef cubes, reheat; toss in parsley and serve. Serves 8. Serve with a full flavored Merlot, Syrah, or Cabernet based wine. Recipe from “Vineyard Seasons” by Susan Branch
Roast Beef Tenderloin with Madeira and Prunes
| 24 pitted prunes | Freshly ground pepper |
| 1 1/2 cups Malmsey Madeira | 2 large shallots, minced |
| 3 Tbl. vegetable oil | 1 cup red wine |
| One 4-pound trimmed and tied beef tenderloin roast | 2 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth |
| Salt | 2 Tbl. cold unsalted butter |
One to 2 days ahead, put the
prunes in a nonreactive bowl and cover with the Madeira; set
aside at room temperature to plump. Preheat the oven to 450 F. In
a large, heavy flameproof roasting pan set over 2 burners, heat
the oil over moderately high heat. Season the beef with salt and
pepper. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the meat to the
pan and brown it well on all sides. Transfer the roasting pan to
the oven and roast the meat for about 20 minutes, or until a
thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 120-125 F for
medium rare. Set the roast on a large warmed platter, cover
loosely with foil and keep warm.
Discard the fat in the roasting pan. Set the pan over 2 burners.
Add the shallots and red wine and simmer over moderately low heat
about 8 minutes. Increase the heat to moderately high, add 1 1/2
cups of the stock and boil about 5 minutes. Add the prune soaking
liquid and boil about 7 minutes. Pour the sauce into a medium
saucepan. Add the soaked prunes and the remaining 1/2 cup stock
and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally; the sauce will
thicken slightly. Cut the beef into 16 slices. Pour any meat
juices into the sauce and stir in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a
time. Season with salt and pepper and serve alongside the beef.
Serves 8. Serve with
a flavorful red such as California Cabernet, Australian Shiraz,
or better Rhone red.
Sirloin with Sweet Potatoes, Peppers, and Shiitakes
| 1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces | 1/2 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper |
| 1 head garlic, cloves separated | 1/4 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine |
| 2 bell peppers, red, yellow, green, or a combination, cut into 1 inch chunks | 3 Tbl. freshly grated Parmesan |
| 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks | 2 Tbl. mixed, chopped fresh herbs, such as marjoram, thyme, rosemary and parsley, or 2 teaspoons mixed dried herbs |
| 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, destemmed | 2 pounds sirloin steak, about 1 inch thick |
| 6 Tbl. cooking oil | 1 Tbls. butter |
| 1 1/4 tsp. salt |
Heat oven to 450 F. In a large roasting pan, combine vegetables and 4 Tblsp of oil. Add 3/4 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper and mix well. Spread veggies in an even layer. Sprinkle with vermouth. Roast for 35 minutes. Add the Parmesan and herbs and mix well. Continue roasting until the vegetables are well browned, about 10 min longer. Put in a warm spot and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Heat broiler. Coat steak with the remaining 2 Tblsp oil. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and dot with the butter. Broil for 5 minutes. Turn and cook to taste, about 5 minutes longer for medium-rare. Transfer to a carving board and leave to rest in a warm spot for about 5 minutes. Cut into thin diagonal slices and serve with veggies. Serves 4. Serve with a full flavored red, such as a Cabernet, Shiraz, or Bordeaux.
Porterhouse Steak with Herbs and Tomatoes
| 2 porterhouse steaks (about 1-1/2 lb. each), cut 1-1/4 inches thick | 1 Tbl. chopped fresh oregano |
| 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbl. olive oil, preferably extra virgin | 1 tsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley |
| 3 cups ripe tomatoes or 1 can (28 ounces) plum tomatoes, peeled, drained, seeded, chopped | 6 to 8 basil leaves |
| 1 large clove garlic, minced | Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste |
| Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes |
Preheat the broiler or prepare
coals for grilling. Allow the steaks to come to room temperature,
pat dry, and coat both sides lightly with 2 tablespoons olive
oil. Set aside. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, pepper flakes,
oregano, parsley, basil, and salt and pepper in a medium-size
bowl and stir well to blend. Stirring slowly, blend in the
remaining 1/3 cup olive oil. Set aside for at least 30 minutes,
stirring occasionally.
Broil or grill the steaks until seared and well-crusted on one
side, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook 2 minutes more (medium-rare)
or 3 minutes more (medium). Transfer the steak to a carving board
and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut away the bone and carve the
steaks into 1¦2-inch-thick slices. Divide slices among 4 warm
serving plates. Spoon the sauce over the steak and serve at once. Serve with a hearty but
refined Italian red such as a Barbera, or a robust Cabernet, or a substantial
red Zinfandel. Serves 4
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