Tournedos Algérienne

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •2¼-inch (6 cm) round cutter or a straight-sided drinking glass
• •8-inch (20 cm) skillet for shallow-frying
• •Wide skillet for the tomatoes
• •Heavy 12-inch (30 cm) skillet for the tournedos
• •Wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Kitchen twine, if needed

Instructions

1. 1

   Roast the sweet potato

   Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Prick the sweet potato and roast it on a small tray for 40 to 50 minutes, until a knife passes through the center without resistance. Split it, scoop out the flesh, and press it smooth while warm. Stir the purée over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes to drive away excess moisture, then remove it from the heat and mix in the unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper. Let it cool for 5 minutes before beating in the egg yolk; adding the yolk to scorching purée would cook it into threads.

2. 2

   Shape and bread croquettes

   Divide the sweet-potato mixture into four equal portions, about 2½ ounces (70 g) each, and shape them into neat rounds about 2¼ inches (6 cm) wide and ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick. If the mixture slumps instead of holding its edge, stir in 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 8 g) of the measured breadcrumbs and chill it for 10 minutes. Ça se rattrape. Put the flour in one shallow dish, beat the whole egg with the water in a second, and place the remaining breadcrumbs in a third. Coat each round in flour, egg, and crumbs, pressing gently so the coating adheres. Chill the breaded croquettes for 20 minutes.

   Keep the rounds slightly smaller than the tournedos. They should crown the beef without hiding its browned edge.
3. 3

   Stew the tomatoes

   Lower the oven to 225°F (110°C). Scoop the seeds and watery pulp from the tomato halves without piercing their walls, then season them with ½ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper. Warm the olive oil in a wide skillet over low heat. Set the tomatoes in cut-side down and cook gently for 6 minutes, then turn and baste them with the oil for another 5 to 8 minutes. The oil should move quietly around them, not spit; the tomatoes are ready when tender but still capable of holding their shape. If their skins begin to split, take the pan off the heat at once and let the remaining warmth finish them. Hold the tomatoes in their oil off the heat.

4. 4

   Fry the croquettes

   Pour the neutral oil into an 8-inch (20 cm) skillet to a depth of about ¼ inch (6 mm) and heat it to 350°F (175°C). Fry the croquettes in two batches for about 2 minutes on each side, turning only when the first face is crisp and deep gold. If one cracks, the croquette was too warm or the oil too cool; lift it out, press fresh crumbs over the seam, chill the remaining rounds for 10 minutes, and bring the oil back to temperature. Drain the croquettes on a wire rack and hold them in the low oven for no longer than 15 minutes.

5. 5

   Sear the tournedos

   Do not heat the beef pan until the tomatoes are tender and the croquettes are crisp. Pat the tournedos completely dry and tie them around the middle with kitchen twine if they need help holding a round shape. Season with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Heat a heavy 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons (45 ml / 42 g) of the clarified butter, and wait until it glistens. Add the tournedos with room between them and cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes, until the first face has a dark bronze crust. Turn once and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, then roll the edges briefly through the butter. Pull the beef at 125°F (52°C) for medium-rare or 135°F (57°C) for medium, and rest it uncovered for 5 minutes. If the butter turns black or smells acrid, remove the beef, take the pan off the heat, carefully wipe out the burnt fat, and continue with the reserved clarified butter. Burnt fat cannot be reasoned with, but the meat can still be saved.

   A dry surface and an uncrowded pan decide the crust. Moving the tournedos too early tears away the browning you have worked to build.
6. 6

   Build the crown

   Warm a round serving platter. Return the tomatoes to low heat only long enough to restore their gloss, without letting them soften further. Remove the twine from the tournedos and arrange the four pieces in a ring to form a crown. Set one sweet-potato croquette squarely on each tournedos, then arrange two tomato halves around each portion. Spoon a little of the warm tomato oil over the tomatoes and any clear clarified butter and beef juices around the meat. This is a garnished sauté, not a sauced dish. Carry it straight to the table. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Ask the butcher for four center-cut tenderloin rounds of equal diameter and thickness. The narrow tail cooks too quickly and the broad head too slowly; matching pieces let all four reach the table together.
• •Clarified butter is essential because its milk solids have been removed, so it tolerates the fierce heat the tournedos require. To obtain ¼ cup (60 ml / 56 g), begin with about 6 tablespoons (90 ml / 85 g) unsalted butter, melt it gently, skim the foam, and pour off the clear golden fat without disturbing the pale solids underneath.
• •Choose small, firm tomatoes with enough flesh to survive emptying and oil-stewing. If the market's outdoor tomatoes are finished, use good small hothouse or plum tomatoes; canned tomatoes cannot hold the required half-shell shape.
• •A medium-bodied Loire Cabernet Franc suits the lean beef, sweet potato, and tomato without overwhelming them. Keep the rest of the plate simple, perhaps green beans dressed with butter, because the crown already carries its own starch and vegetable.

Advance Preparation

• •The sweet-potato rounds can be shaped, breaded, covered, and refrigerated up to 24 hours ahead. Fry them shortly before serving so their crumb remains crisp.
• •The tomatoes can be emptied several hours ahead, but season them only when the oil is warming. They may be stewed up to 2 hours before dinner and gently rewarmed in their oil.
• •Clarified butter keeps for about 1 week under refrigeration. Measure it before cooking so the reserved spoonful is ready if the searing fat must be replaced.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 365g)