Tournedos à la Sarde

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch (30-cm) heavy skillet
• •2-quart heavy saucepan for the rice
• •3-quart deep saucepan and deep-fry thermometer
• •Broiler-safe rimmed tray with wire rack
• •Melon baller or small spoon
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Kitchen twine
• •Large oval serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the saffron rice

   Warm ¾ cup (180 ml) of the stock with the saffron until the liquid turns a clear golden yellow. Stir in the rice and ¼ teaspoon of the salt, cover, and cook over the lowest heat until the grains are tender and the stock has been absorbed, about 16 minutes. If the pan dries while the rice remains firm, add stock or water one tablespoon at a time. Ça se rattrape, but drowning it will leave the croquettes too soft to shape.

   Do not rinse this rice. Its surface starch helps the yolks bind the croquettes without changing the book's formula.
2. 2

   Thicken and chill

   Take the rice from the heat and beat in the egg yolks thoroughly. Return the pan to very low heat for 30 to 45 seconds, stirring constantly, until the rice becomes cohesive and pulls from the pan in one mass. Do not let the yolks scramble. If small curds appear, scrape the mixture immediately onto a cold tray and work it firmly with a spatula while it cools. Spread it in a shallow layer, cover, and chill for at least 30 minutes.

3. 3

   Reduce the duxelles

   Melt 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the butter in a wide skillet. Soften the shallots without browning, then add the mushrooms, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the mushrooms release their water, the water evaporates, and the mixture becomes a dark, concentrated paste, about 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley and cool. Duxelles must be dry enough to hold its shape; if liquid gathers when you press it with a spoon, return it to the heat. Wet duxelles would soak the vegetables, but ça se rattrape before stuffing.

4. 4

   Hollow and braise

   Scoop the centers from the cucumber cylinders, leaving a ⅜-inch (1-cm) wall and an intact base. Cut a thin lid from each tomato, scoop out the seeds and wet pulp, then season the cavities lightly. Parboil the cucumber cases in salted water for 2 minutes and the tomatoes for only 10 seconds, then drain both upside down. Melt 2 tablespoons (30 ml) butter in a shallow pan, add the remaining ½ cup (120 ml) stock, and arrange the cucumber cases upright. Cover and braise at a bare simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, adding the tomatoes cut side up for the final 2 minutes. The cucumber should yield to a knife but still stand firmly, and the tomatoes must keep their shape.

5. 5

   Shape the croquettes

   Divide the cold saffron rice into four equal portions and roll each into a small round croquette, compressing it enough to remove cracks without crushing the grains. Coat all four with the prepared Anglaise (for Egg-and-bread-crumbing) (No. 174), following that preparation exactly and keeping its crust complete. Chill the coated croquettes for 20 minutes so the covering sets before frying.

6. 6

   Fry until crisp

   Heat the frying oil in a deep 3-quart saucepan to 350°F (180°C), keeping the pot no more than one-third full. Lower in two croquettes at a time and fry until evenly crisp and saffron-gold, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on a rack and hold in a 200°F (95°C) oven. If a crust begins to split, lift the croquette at once, cool it for 5 minutes, and seal the opening with the remaining Anglaise (for Egg-and-bread-crumbing) (No. 174) before frying again. Ça se rattrape.

7. 7

   Stuff and gratin

   Fill the cucumber cases and tomatoes generously with the duxelles, mounding it slightly above each rim. Finish all eight cases with the prepared Gratins (No. 268), following that preparation as its own finished component. Arrange them on a broiler-safe tray and place them about 4 inches (10 cm) below a fully heated broiler until the tops are bronzed, about 2 to 4 minutes. If the gratin colors before the centers are hot, lower the tray and warm it at 350°F (180°C); darkening the top further will only make it bitter.

8. 8

   Sear the tournedos

   Bring the tournedos from the cold 30 minutes before cooking. Pat them completely dry and season with the remaining salt and pepper. Heat a 12-inch (30-cm) heavy skillet until properly hot, then add 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the clarified butter. Set in all four tournedos with space between them and sear without moving for about 3 minutes, until the first face develops a deep Maillard bronze. Turn and cook the second face for 2 to 3 minutes, then briefly brown the edges. Pull them at 122 to 125°F (50 to 52°C) for medium-rare and rest for 5 minutes. If the butter burns black, lift out the beef, wipe the pan carefully, and continue with the reserved clarified butter. Burnt butter is not fond.

9. 9

   Build the crown

   Remove the strings and arrange the four tournedos in a ring on a large warmed platter. Set one saffron-rice croquette on each tournedos. Frame the meat with the four stuffed cucumber cases and four stuffed tomatoes, alternating them around the crown exactly as the dish requires. Spoon over only the clean butter left from searing and carry the platter straight to the table. No waiting now. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Ask for four tournedos cut from the even center of the tenderloin, not the narrow tail. Equal thickness matters more than extravagant size because all four must leave the pan together.
• •The duxelles is ready only when its mushroom liquid has completely evaporated. It should sit in a spoon like a soft paste, not weep into the cucumber and tomato cases.
• •Firm hothouse plum tomatoes are an honest choice outside the best tomato season. This garnish needs a tomato that can be hollowed, braised, stuffed, and gratinéed without collapsing.
• •Use a deep-fry thermometer. Oil below temperature soaks the croquette and weakens its shell; oil far above it colors the crumbs before the saffron rice is hot.
• •Serve with a supple Médoc or another medium-bodied red with restrained tannin. The beef wants structure, while the saffron, mushroom, cucumber, and tomato ask the wine not to shout.

Advance Preparation

• •The duxelles and saffron-rice mixture can be prepared up to 1 day ahead, covered separately, and refrigerated. Bring the duxelles close to room temperature before stuffing.
• •The cucumber and tomato cases can be hollowed, parboiled, and braised up to 4 hours ahead. Drain them well and refrigerate, then stuff and gratin shortly before serving.
• •The rice croquettes can be shaped and coated up to 6 hours ahead. Keep them chilled in a single layer and fry them before the vegetables go under the broiler.
• •Tie the tournedos earlier in the day and leave them uncovered in the refrigerator for a drier surface. Take them out 30 minutes before searing, but do not season until the skillet is nearly ready.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 450g)