Ingredients
Directions
Make friends with a local butcher ahead of time – acquire a 4lb trimmed whole beef tenderloin secured with twine that is artfully prepared as a thick, even roast (thinner ends folded underneath). Rub beef all over with salt. Rewrap beef in butcher paper and refrigerate overnight.
Remove beef from the refrigerator and let stand an hour before searing. Preheat oven to 475F.
In bowl, combine 1 Tbs. pepper, 1 Tbs. mustard, 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce, 1 garlic clove mashed to paste, 1 tsp. honey, 1 tsp. soy sauce, and 1 tsp. chopped thyme.
Sear the beef with about 2 Tbs. oil. – really depends on pan or whatever you are doing this with. Just make sure its hot first. Brown all sides of beef, maybe 15 minutes total. Transfer beef to cutting board and carefully wipe out pan (because it’s still hot).
Brush contents of bowl all over the beef, return the beef back to pan and roast to an internal temp of 120F or longer to your cooking preference. If you are thinking you want something well or more cooked – don’t do this recipe. Max time spent of 30 min cook time, transfer beef to cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for 15 minutes or so.
Melt 2 Tbs. butter in saucepan. Add ¼ cup minced shallot and stir until tender. Add ½ cup cognac, turn heat up to high and reduce by half. Add 3 cups broth, 4 small sprigs of thyme and boil until reduced to about 1 cup (maybe 20 min).
Stir in 2 cups cream, as much pepper as you like and lower to gentle boil. Cook until reduced to about 2 cups (maybe another 20 min).
Remove from heat and whisk in ¼ oz finely grated cheese, 2 tsp. mustard, juice of your lemon, and 2 tsp.
Worcestershire sauce. Once melted, taste and add more pepper until you are happy.
Slice tenderloin ½ inch thick and pour accumulated juice over sliced beef. Serve the beef with the cognac sauce. (Seriously – make more to serve over mashed potatoes).