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Summer Filet of Beef with Béarnaise Mayonnaise

Source of Recipe

From "Make It Ahead" by Ina Garten


Recipe Introduction

"I'm endlessly interested in the cookbooks written by Sarah Leah Chase. Her recipes are for the kind of simple, delicious food I love. This béarnaise mayonnaise is inspired by a recipe in her Open House Cookbook. It's a great dish to make in the summer because you can roast the beef in advance and serve it at room temperature with the mayonnaise."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 whole (4- to 5-pound) beef tenderloin, trimmed and tied
â—¦ 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted
â—¦ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ ¾ cup minced shallots (3 shallots)
â—¦ 4 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon leaves, divided
â—¦ ½ cup dry white wine
â—¦ ¼ cup tarragon or white wine vinegar
â—¦ 2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
â—¦ 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, at room temperature
â—¦ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
â—¦ 1 cup vegetable or canola oil, at room temperature
â—¦ ½ cup good olive oil, at room temperature


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Dry the entire tenderloin with paper towels and brush it all over (top and bottom) with the butter. Sprinkle it all over with 4 teaspoons of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper. It will seem like a lot but trust me, it's important.

Place the filet on the sheet pan and roast it for 1 to 1 ¼ hours, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the end of the beef registers 130 degrees for medium-rare. Remove from the oven, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Discard the foil and allow to sit at room temperature.

Meanwhile, place the shallots, 3 tablespoons of tarragon, the wine, and vinegar in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 5 minutes, until only 1 tablespoon of liquid remains. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes.

Place the egg yolks, lemon juice, mustard, 2 ½ teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process for 10 seconds. With the processor running, slowly pour the vegetable oil and olive oil through the feed tube to make a thick emulsion. Add the shallot reduction and the remaining tablespoon of tarragon leaves and pulse to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Slice the filet of beef between ¼ and ½ inch thick, sprinkle with salt, and serve warm, at room temperature, or cold with the béarnaise mayonnaise on the side.

Serves 8 to 10



• Make it ahead:
Roast the beef and make the mayonnaise. Wrap both well and refrigerate for up to 2 days.