Irons In The Fire Beef Tenderloin Recipes

SEND IN THE CLOWNS SPAETZLE

Steps:

• Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Whisk in eggs and milk and beat to create a batter that is cohesive but is still loose enough to be pushed through a sieve to make dumplings with identifiable strands of batter. (Add additional flour if too loose or additional milk if too dry.)
• Bring a pot of water to boiling and reduce it to a simmer. Drop tablespoons of the batter into a strainer held over the boiling water to make the spaetzle "dumplings." Remove them to a platter with a slotted wooden spoon as they rise to the surface.
• Melt butter as needed over medium-low heat in a saute pan to briefly saute the spaetzle.
• Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with parsley.

SEARED BEEF TORNADOES

Steps:

• For the polenta: In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the stock to a simmer. Then reduce the heat to medium-low. Next, slowly whisk in the cornmeal and continue whisking during the entire cooking process. Cook until the liquid has been absorbed, 5 to 6 minutes. Then add the cheese, again whisk, and then taste and season with salt and pepper. Hold warm until serving.
• For the beef: Heat a large saute pan over high heat until the verge of smoking, and then add the oil; reduce the heat to medium. Sprinkle the steaks, both sides, with salt and pepper, and add to the oiled pan. Sear the steaks on the first side for 2 minutes, then flip and repeat cooking for additional 2 minutes. Once cooked, turn the heat off and add the butter and thyme. Allow the butter to brown, turning or spooning the butter over the steaks during the process, for 1 minute.
• Remove the steaks and allow to rest for 2 minutes. Then portion the prepared polenta to the plates, top with seared tornadoes and then spoon over brown butter and serve.

SZECHUAN BEEF TENDERLOIN STUFFED WITH PEKING DUCK

Steps:

• For the edamame:
• Add soybeans in their pods to a pot and cover with water. Boil until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove soybeans from their pods and add to a pot (reserving about 1/2 cup for texture in a separate bowl) along with chicken stock. Set aside until needed, at which time you will heat and then puree just before serving.;
• For the rice:
• Rinse rice in strainer under cold water. Add rice, 3 3/4 cups cold water and salt to a saucepot. Cover and let soak for a half hour. Remove lid, then turn heat to medium and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes without removing the lid. Transfer to a mixing bowl, stir in tarragon, vinegar, and cover with a clean damp kitchen towel and keep at room temperature.;
• For the stuffing:
• Remove the meat from the Peking duck, reserving the skin and bones in a saute pan. Finely shred enough duck meat to make 6 tablespoons shredded duck, and place in a mixing bowl. Stir in scallions, hoisin sauce, and ginger soy syrup and set aside at room temperature until needed.;
• For the filet mignon:
• Cut a slit in the top center of each steak to hold the stuffing. With a spice grinder, with a mortar and pestle (if you are strong and persistent), or with a coffee grinder dedicated to grinding spices, pulverize the wasabi peas, peppercorns, and salt, together. Stuff the steaks with even amounts of the duck mixture and tie up with butcher's string to help them keep their shape through the searing process. Coat each filet with the wasabi/peppercorn mixture and set aside briefly.
• Return to the edamame and heat the beans and chicken stock over medium-high heat until the chicken stock is reduced by half. Remove from heat and keep warm.
• For the sauce:
• To the pan of duck skin and bones, add enough water to cover and the demi-glace. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half and strain through a chinois. Discard the skin and bones. Season the reduction with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a small bowl and keep warm by nesting the bowl in another bowl of hot water.;
• To cook the filet mignon:
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the grapeseed oil over medium-high heat in a saute pan with oven safe handles (reserving the other tablespoon of oil). When the oil begins to shimmer add the steaks to the pan, stuffed side down first, and sear, leaving undisturbed for the first 2 minutes or so to let the caramelization process begin to allow the stuffing to integrate into the meat and to prevent tearing the beef. Add the reserved grapeseed oil and flip the steaks, searing the other side in the same way, leaving undisturbed for about 2 or 3 minutes. Transfer to the oven to finish to an internal temperature of 125 degrees F as measured with an instant-read thermometer, about 8 to 15 minutes depending on the thickness. Remove from oven and let carryover cook to about 132 degrees F for medium-rare, or cook to your liking.
• When you have placed the filet mignon in the oven, puree the edamame with an immersion blender and toss in the reserved whole beans for texture. Cover and keep warm.
• Remove steaks from oven, if done, and let rest as indicated above.
• For the rice:
• Using a 3-inch circle cutter, form the sushi rice into "cakes." Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and lightly fry the rice circles until golden brown on each side. Leave each side undisturbed for the first 2 to 3 minutes to prevent the "cakes" from breaking apart.
• For the carrots, heat the canola oil in a saute pan and deep-fry carrots.
• Spoon some edamame puree in the left center of serving plate and some duck essence (sauce) on the right center of plate. Place a sauteed circle of rice in the center topped with a stuffed steak and 2 fried carrots on the very top.
• In a pan lightly coated with oil, combine garlic, ginger, and scallions over medium heat, season with salt and pepper, and let sweat. Deglaze pan with soy sauce, honey and lime juice. Let reduce by 30 to 40 percent until the mixture becomes a syrup, about 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool and transfer to a bottle. Store in the refrigerator.
• Yield: about 2 cups or 32 servings of 1 tablespoon each.

IRONS IN THE FIRE BEEF TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• Heat the grill. Place the peppers on the grill until the skins are charred then, using tongs, transfer them to a plastic bag to rest and peel them when cool.
• Place the whole fillet on a utility platter, brush with melted butter, and season with salt and pepper. Sear filet on all sides on hot part of the grill. Move to indirect for medium rare. Alternatively you can sear the fillet in a pan with oven safe handles and transfer pan to a preheated 425 degree F oven for about 30 minutes to reach the same internal temperature. Allow meat to rest before slicing. (On the episode we skewered the beef tenderloins on the sterilized shafts of old golf clubs, grilled them on the skewer, and sliced servings right off the skewer. If you have a rotisserie skewer, you can do something similar.)
• In the blender, combine the peeled peppers with the scallions, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice. Blend these until a smooth consistency is achieved then, with the blender running, pour the olive oil in a thin stream through the feed opening. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
• Slice bread in half lengthwise, brush with oil, and season with garlic powder. Grill briefly, cut side down.
• Serve slices of fillet with sauce spooned over or on the side with slices of the bread as an accompaniment.

FIREPLACE ROASTED BEEF TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• 1) An hour and a half before serving, start a fire in the fireplace. 3-4 logs. It is handy to place a log in the fireplace where the tenderloin will go. When the time is right, just move the log off to the side, and replace with the wrapped tenderloin.
• 2) Dampen the dish towel. (It should be damp, not ringing wet.) Spread the towel on the kitchen counter. (optionally run the outside of the tenderloin with 3-4 Tbs of dried onions, and 2-3 Tbs of crushed pepper.)
• 3) Lay the tenderloin on the towel a couple of inches from one short end. There should be a couple of inches to each side, as well. Pour some salt over the meat so all surfaces are covered. Take the short end behind the tenderloin and roll it over the meat. Continue to roll the meat in the towel for one turn. Add more salt the length of the tenderloin. Tuck in/fold in the ends of the towel and roll again. Continue in this manner until the meat is completely covered by the towel and the salt. Tie the roll in 3-5 places with kitchen string.
• 4) Place the wrapped tenderloin in the fire and cook for 15 minutes. Wearing an oven mitt and using long handled tongs, turn the meat 180 degrees and cook another 15 minutes.
• 5) Remove the meat log to a platter to carry to the carving surface. Let rest for 10 minutes.
• 6) Cut off the strings; remove towel, brush off extra salt, and carve into 1/2" serving portions, 2 per person. Voila!