Beef Tenderloin with Mushrooms and Espagnole Sauce

Cooking With Rania - "Christmas Dinner"
KDKA Pittsburgh Today Live 12/05/2012

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Beef Tenderloin with Mushrooms and Espagnole Sauce

INGREDIENTS

2 (2-pound) pieces trimmed center-cut beef tenderloin roast
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-1/2 pounds small fresh Cremini mushrooms, rimmed and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1/2 cup medium-dry sherry
2-2/3 cups Espagnole sauce (see recipe below)

DIRECTIONS

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Pat beef dry and sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Heat oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until just smoking, then sear beef 1 piece at a time, turning with tongs, until well browned, about 5 minutes each. Transfer beef to an 18- by 12-inch flameproof roasting pan, reserving skillet.

Roast beef in oven until thermometer inserted diagonally 2 inches into center of each piece registers 120 degrees, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer beef to a cutting board, reserving roasting pan. Keep beef covered loosely with foil while completing recipe. It will continue to cook just a bit more.

While beef roasts, heat butter in skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then reduce heat to moderate and cook mushrooms, stirring frequently, until liquid they give off is evaporated and mushrooms are pale golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.

While beef stands, straddle roasting pan across 2 burners, then add sherry and deglaze pan by boiling over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 1 minute. Add sherry mixture and Espagnole sauce to mushrooms and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until warm. Cover skillet and remove from heat. Cut meat crosswise into thick slices. Pour any juices on cutting board into sauce and heat over moderate heat, stirring, until hot.

Serve beef with sauce

Espagnole Sauce recipe

Ingredients

1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups hot beef stock
1/4 cup canned tomato puree
2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 fresh bay leaf

Directions

Cook carrot and onion in butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Add flour and cook roux over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until medium brown, 6 to 10 minutes. Add hot stock in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, then add tomato puree, garlic, celery, peppercorns, and bay leaf and bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat and cook at a bare simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 3 cups, about 45 minutes. Pour sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids.