As we continue with your first dinner party menu, here are the recipes for the entree and one of the side dishes for Dinner with the In-Laws. Keep in mind that this is a special occasion menu and beef tenderloin can be a pricey cut of beef. However, there is next to no waste on it, it is low in fat and this recipe is absolutely delicious. Serve easy to prepare baked potatoes with a zesty blue cheese dressing. This compliments the beef well.
Beef Tenderloin Medallions with Savory Sauce
Makes 4 servings
Savory Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1 1/2 tablespoons stone-ground mustard
1 cup beef broth (soup aisle)
1 tablespoon tomato paste (not sauce)
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Steaks
2 to 2 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin, trimmed and cut into eight 1/2-inch-thick steaks
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, for garnish
To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for 1 or 2 minutes. Add the mustard, beef broth, tomato paste, maple syrup, cider vinegar, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes over low heat, until the sauce thickens slightly. Turn off the heat, and cover until ready to use.
To prepare the steaks, brush the steaks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover and let rest at room temperature. When ready to cook, preheat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the steaks and pan-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and cook for another 1 or 2 minutes.
To serve, place 2 steaks on each plate, spoon some of the sauce over them, and sprinkle the chopped cilantro on top.
Tip: The biggest mistake you can make is to overcook the tenderloin. You really want it cooked no more than medium (pink in the center) for optimum flavor and tenderness.
Baked Potatoes with Blue Cheese Dressing
Makes 4 servings
4 medium baking potatoes (Idaho or russet)
Blue Cheese Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Dash of bottled hot sauce, such as Cholula or Tapatio
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon finely chopped shallot
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Wash and dry the potatoes, and stab each one several times with a fork. Wrap in aluminum foil. Refrigerate until ready to bake.
To make the dressing, combine the mayonnaise and sour cream in a medium bowl. Fold in the blue cheese, vinegar, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, shallot, garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
To bake the potatoes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the potatoes for 60 to 75 minutes, or until a potato is soft when you squeeze it (with an oven mitt). Serve with the blue cheese dressing alongside.
Tips: The reason you stab the potato with a fork is to allow steam to escape so it will not explode in your oven. Shallots are members of the onion family and are found in the produce section of your grocery store, by the onions and garlic.
My next post will contain the recipes for the Haricotts Verts with Garlic and Almonds and the Kahlua Fudge Brownie Pie.
