Adapted from all-recipes.com. This is a classier version of my usual roast beef dinner. It actually doesn’t go especially well with Yorkshire pudding, because the sauce is just not right for it. I need to work on good side dishes for this recipe.
- 2 lbs. beef tenderloin
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 slices bacon
- ¾ lb. shallots, halved lengthwise and peeled
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups beef broth
- ¾ cup port wine (or red wine with more brown sugar)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 8 oz. mushrooms
- 4 sprigs watercress, for garnish
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Pat beef dry; sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. In a large roasting pan, set over medium heat on the stove top, saute bacon until golden. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Add beef to pan; brown on all sides over medium high heat, about 7 minutes. Transfer pan to oven. Roast about 25 minutes
In a large saucepan, combine beef broth and port. Bring to a boil. Cook over high heat until the volume is reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Whisk in tomato paste and brown sugar. Set aside.
In a saute pan, toss shallots with oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until shallots are deep brown and very tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. When done, saute mushrooms briefly (about 6 minutes).
When a meat thermometer inserted into the roast’s center registers 125°F (50°C) for medium rare, transfer beef to platter and tent loosely with foil. Spoon fat off top of pan drippings in roasting pan. Place pan over high heat on stove top. Add broth mixture, and bring to boil; stir to scrape up any browned bits. Transfer to a medium saucepan, and bring to simmer. Mix 1½ tablespoon butter and flour in small bowl with a little of the broth to form roux; whisk into broth mixture, and simmer until sauce thickens. Whisk in remaining butter. Stir in roasted shallots, reserved bacon, and half of the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper.
Cut beef into ½-inch thick slices. Spoon some sauce over, and garnish with remaining mushrooms and watercress.