Roast Tenderloin of Beef Mustard Sauce

Last night was a special night here at the Cafe. We were having our friend Deb over for dinner, following a morning of painting our closets in preparation for the new closet inserts which will be installed on Thursday. I mulled over a couple of dinner menus and decided to defrost a beef tenderloin which had been sitting, oh so quietly, frozen in our freezer the past few weeks. I thought about making Tenderloin DeLuxe, a dish that Deirdre really likes, but then I thought I should try to expand my recipe base a little. After a few minutes of searching, I found the recipe listed below.

I am happy to report that this recipe was easy to make and was nothing short of outstanding. I removed the tenderloin precisely when the internal temperature of the roast was 124F and the meat perfectly pink inside. The "mustard sauce" is a bit of a misnomer as the shallots and garlic add more flavor to the sauce than mustard. Regardless of the name, the meal was fantastic. In addition to the beef, I made some long grain & wild rice, a tossed salad with a balsamic vinaigrette, and steamed asparagus. Thanks to our friends at Art of the Table, we washed the roast down with a bottle of 2000 Vina Alberdi Rioja, a Spanish red that stood up to the meal.

We also wanted to have a hearty meal in preparation for what was an excellent Game 5 in the Stanley Cup Finals. Final score: Red Wings 5, Penguins 0. Life agrees with us here in the Cafe.

ROAST TENDERLOIN OF BEEF WITH MUSTARD SAUCE

From cooks.com

2 tsp. soy sauce
2 1/2 lbs. beef tenderloin
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 med. garlic clove, minced
3 med. shallots, minced
1/3 c. dry red wine
1 1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 cup (8 oz.) canned low-sodium beef broth
1/4 c. plus 1 tbsp. heavy cream
2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1. Rub the soy sauce all over the beef and let sit for 30 minutes. Season with the pepper.

2. 350 degrees. In a large, heavy, oven-proof skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the beef and cook until well browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.

3. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the tenderloin for about 20 minutes, turning once, until the internal temperature reads 125F degrees on a meat thermometer for rare. Transfer the meat to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil and let sit for 10 minutes.

4. Pour off any fat from the skillet. Add the garlic and shallots and cook over low heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Pour in the wine, increase the heat to high and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in the mustard, broth and cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to moderate and simmer until the sauce has reduced to 1 cup and is thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon, about 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the butter until incorporated.

5. Using a sharp knife, cut the meat into 12 slices. Arrange the meat on plates or a platter, spoon the mustard sauce on top and serve.