Tenderloin, Pecan Crust, Tomato, Juniper Berry, Red Wine Reduction

Beef tenderloin is a large cut of meat out of the short loin section, often called fillet. It is the center of tenderness.

Ingredients

• Six-ounce well-trimmed center-cut beef tenderloins, not tied  ·  4 whole 
• beef demiglace (found in the freezer section of supermarkets and specialty-food shops)  ·  1 cup 
• Herbie's Juniper Berries, crushed  ·  2 teaspoons 
• full-bodied red wine  ·  1½ cups 
• tomato paste  ·  1 tablespoon 
• medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced  ·  1 whole 
• garlic, thinly sliced  ·  1 clove 
• shallots, thinly sliced  ·  3 whole 
• pecans, very finely chopped  ·  1 cup 
• large egg yolks  ·  4 whole 
• Dijon mustard  ·  ¼ cup 
• ketchup  ·  ¼ cup 
• extra-virgin olive oil  ·  2 tablespoons 
• unsalted butter  ·  4 tablespoons 
• Salt and freshly ground pepper  · 

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°.

Tenderloin should have a nice caramelized surface so start out by seasoning the tenderloins all over with salt and pepper. Then melt 1 tablespoon of butter into 1 tablespoon of olive oil in each of 2 large deep skillets. Sear the tenderloins over high heat until seared brown all over. This should take about 8 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool slightly.

In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, mustard and egg yolks and brush the mixture all over the tenderloins. Transfer the meat to a large roasting pan. Sprinkle the pecans all over and press to help them adhere. Roast in the middle of the oven for about 20 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of each tenderloin registers 125° for medium-rare. Cover the roasts loosely with foil if the coating browns too quickly. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour off the fat in one of the skillets used for browning the meat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallots, garlic and carrot and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and juniper berries and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook over moderate heat, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet, until the sauce is slightly thickened and reduced to 1/2 cup, about 10 minutes. Add the demiglace and bring to a boil. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a small saucepan, pressing hard on the solids. Season the jus with salt and pepper and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.

Carve the roasts and serve with the juniper jus on the side. Serve with Williamson Meritage Allure.