Tournedos Mirette

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch (30 cm) heavy stainless-steel or cast-iron skillet
• •Four 4-ounce (120 ml) metal timbale molds or straight-sided ramekins
• •Broiler-safe metal platter or rimmed baking sheet
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Small whisk
• •Butcher’s twine

Instructions

1. 1

   Arrange the mise

   Set an oven rack about 6 inches (15 cm) beneath the broiler and heat the broiler to high. Bring the prepared Pommes de Terre Mirette (No. 2234) to a warm, pliable state in four small timbale molds, reserving its final glazing for later. Pat the tournedos completely dry, tie them firmly enough to hold a round shape, and season with the salt and pepper. Have a broiler-safe platter and every sauce ingredient beside the stove before you begin.

2. 2

   Unmold the timbales

   Run a thin knife around each timbale and invert it onto the broiler-safe platter. If one clings, wrap the mold briefly in a hot towel and try again without shaking it. If it slumps, press it back into the mold and glaze it there, then lift the compact potato onto its tournedos with a spoon. The silhouette changes slightly; the flavour does not.

3. 3

   Pan-grill the beef

   Heat a heavy skillet over high heat until thoroughly hot, then add the clarified butter and swirl it into a thin film. Lay in the tournedos with space between them and cook without disturbing them for about 3 minutes, until the undersides are deeply browned and release readily. Turn and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, then roll the edges against the pan for about 30 seconds. Remove them at 125 to 130°F (52 to 54°C) for medium-rare, or at the temperature preferred at your table, and rest for 6 to 8 minutes. The film on the pan should be dark mahogany. If it has burnt black, wipe out the bitter residue and build the sauce with the wine and meat glaze in the clean skillet. You lose a little depth, not the dinner.

4. 4

   Glaze the timbales

   While the beef rests, sprinkle the Pommes de Terre Mirette (No. 2234) evenly with the Parmesan and trickle the melted butter over their tops. Broil for 2 to 4 minutes, watching continuously, until the cheese bubbles and takes a mottled bronze colour. This is the home salamander. If the tops remain pale, move them closer to the heat for 30 seconds rather than leaving the potatoes underneath to dry.

5. 5

   Swill the pan

   Pour excess fat from the skillet without disturbing its brown fond. Return it to medium-high heat, add the white wine, and scrape firmly with a wooden spoon until every savoury speck dissolves. Boil until the wine has reduced to about 3 tablespoons and looks lightly syrupy, then whisk in the meat glaze. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon in a thin, glossy layer. If it becomes too concentrated, loosen it with a tablespoon of water; if it remains watery, reduce it further before adding the butter.

6. 6

   Monter au beurre

   Take the skillet completely off the heat. Monter au beurre, mounting the sauce with cold butter, by whisking in one cube at a time until the sauce becomes glossy and softly thickened. Do not let it boil after the butter goes in. If it separates into greasy droplets, put a teaspoon of cold water in a clean warm bowl and whisk in the broken sauce one spoonful at a time. Ça se rattrape. Taste before adding any salt, since the meat glaze may already provide enough.

7. 7

   Build the crown

   Remove the strings from the rested tournedos and arrange the four pieces in a crown on a warm oval platter. Set one glazed timbale squarely upon each tournedos. Spoon the buttered wine sauce over the beef and around the bases, leaving the bronzed potato tops visible, then carry the platter directly to the table. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Ask for center-cut tenderloin of even thickness. The narrow tail cooks too quickly and the thick head too slowly; four matching rounds let one cook bring the whole crown to the table at the same doneness.
• •Meat glaze should be concentrated enough to become firm and tacky when cold. Ordinary broth cannot stand in for it. If you have only demi-glace, reduce it separately until a chilled spoonful sets before measuring the quantity for this sauce.
• •Use a dry white wine with firm acidity and no obvious sweetness. The wine is reduced hard, so sweetness becomes cloying and oak can turn bitter.
• •No shallot, mustard, cream, or reflex handful of herbs. The source is deliberate and spare: beef fond, white wine, meat glaze, and butter.
• •Pour a medium-bodied red Burgundy or another fragrant, supple red. The tenderloin and truffled potato want perfume more than weight.

Advance Preparation

• •Prepare the Pommes de Terre Mirette (No. 2234) earlier in the day and portion it into the four timbale molds. Cover and chill, then warm gently until pliable before unmolding; reserve the final Parmesan-and-butter glazing for service.
• •Tie and dry the tournedos up to 4 hours ahead, then keep them uncovered in the refrigerator so their surfaces remain dry. Season only shortly before cooking.
• •Portion the wine, meat glaze, and cold butter before guests sit down. Once the beef enters the skillet, the dish takes less than half an hour and should proceed without a search through the refrigerator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 320g)