Tenderloin a la Pitusa

This is the tenderloin my mother has served for Christmas dinner ever since I was a little girl. This year, she gave me permission to document her for the blog as she seasoned the meat. Watching my mother cook is like watching an artist approach a blank canvas; she doesn't follow directions or measure ingredients like some paint by number coloring book. Instead, she effortlessly seasons the meat with nothing but her instinct as her guide, but for the sake of the blog, she was willing to measure as she went along. With that said, these measurements are not to be treated like a scientific formula, but merely as an estimate of how much she typically uses. You are more likely to under season than over season, so don't be afraid to really cover the tenderloin thoroughly.

Enjoy!

Here is what you will need:

Step 1.   Rinse the meat and place in a large baking dish. My meat was already pretty trim (see photo), but if necessary, trim the meat.

Step 2. Sprinkle generously on all sides with salt.

Step 3. Sprinkle generously on all sides with garlic powder.

Step 4. Take the sweet Spanish paprika, and sprinkle at least 1 tablespoon on each side of the tenderloin. Massage the seasoning into the meat with your hands.

Step 5. Sprinkle a 1/4  teaspoon of the spicy paprika on top of the tenderloin.

Step 6. Pour a 1/4 cup of olive oil over the tenderloin.

Step 7. Cover in aluminum foil and place in refrigerator for 24-48 hours before cooking.

 Step 8: Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place meat in the pre-heated oven. Check after 30 minutes using a meat thermometer (check thickest part of the roast). Roast until medium-rare or medium (allowing for more cooking to take place after removing the meat from the oven) Here is a guide:

120 degrees F is medium rare
130 - 140 degrees F is medium
150 degrees F is medium well

Step 9: Remove the tenderloin roast from the oven and the pan and let stand  for 5-10 minutes. Serve and Enjoy!

Ingredients
4 pound tenderloin
salt
garlic powder
2 tbsp sweet spanish paprika
1/4 tsp hot spanish paprkia
1/4 cup olive oil

Rinse the meat and trim if necessary. Place in a large baking dish. Sprinkle generously on all sides with salt and garlic powder. Sprinkle at least 1 tablespoon of the sweet Spanish paprkia on each side of the tenderloin. Massage the seasoning into the meat with your hands. Sprinkle a 1/4 teaspoon of the spicy paprika on top of the tenderloin. Pour a 1/4 cup of olive oil over the tenderloin. Cover in aluminum foil and place in refrigerator for 24-48 hours before cooking.


Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place meat in the pre-heated oven. Check after 30 minutes using a meat thermometer (check thickest part of the roast). Roast until medium-rare or medium (allowing for more cooking to take place after removing the meat from the oven) Here is a guide:

120 degrees F is medium rare

130 - 140 degrees F is medium
150 degrees F is medium well

Remove the tenderloin roast from the oven and the pan and let stand  for 5-10 minutes. Serve and Enjoy!



Filet Mignon with Red Wine Sauce

So here is the recipe for the filet mignon with red wine sauce that I mentioned in my last post. The filet mignon was so tender that it actually didn't need the sauce, but it added a nice touch. I got the recipe for the sauce from Martha Stewart. I tested a little bit of the sauce before spooning it on top of the filet, just to make sure I liked it. I suggest you do the same.

Here is what you will need.



Step 1: Cover both sides (top and bottom) of the steaks with freshly cracked pepper and salt (more pepper than salt). Spread a generous amount on each side and then press it into the steaks. I did this twice to create a nice peppered crust. There was excess salt and pepper on the cutting board, so I kind of rolled the steaks on their sides to get a little bit of the seasoning all around it.



Step 2: Heat the grill with at least 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high heat. I don't really measure, but instead, I just make sure there is enough to spread around the pan. Cook the steaks on each side for 3-5 minutes. As you can see my steaks are a little thicker, so I cooked it for 5 minutes on each side.



Step 3: Flip the steaks over to cook on the other side. I cooked mine to medium which is about 160 degrees. (How beautiful is my new grill pan, btw? I'm so excited about it!)



Step 4: Now, I say this is "step 4" but really you can start cooking the sauce at the same time as you start cooking the steak. It is really easy. Place 1 cup of red wine in a small saucepan; boil until reduced to 1/4 cup, 8 to 10 minutes.



Step 5: Remove from heat; add 2 tablespoons cold cut-up butter, and swirl pan until butter is melted and sauce is thickened, about 1 minute. Season with coarse salt.




Step 6: Spoon the sauce lightly over the steak and serve with roasted potatoes. Enjoy!



Full List of Ingredients:
2 filet mignons (5 to 6 ounces each, about 1 1/2 inches thick)
Olive oil
Coarse salt
Peppercorns

For the red wine sauce:

2 tablespoons of Butter
1 cup Red wine
Coarse salt