Marcus Samuelsson's Roast Beef Tenderloin Recipe
Photo: Paul Brissman
From Yahoo Food’s Cookbook of the Week: Marcus Off Duty (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Roast Beef Tenderloin with a Coffee-Chocolate Crust
Serves 6 to 8
Sometimes a celebration calls for a big, impressive roast of beef. Beef tenderloin is an elegant cut, fork-tender, but the flavor is mild so it’s an ideal candidate for a zesty rub. I start with Provençal flavors—rosemary, tarragon, mustard, anchovies, garlic—and add coffee and chocolate for rich, deep notes.
1 (3- to 4-pound) trimmed beef tenderloin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons coffee beans
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 teaspoons grated unsweetened chocolate (100% cacao)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 anchovy fillets, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Needles from 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
1. Take the beef out of the refrigerator 1 hour before you plan to roast it and season with salt and pepper.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
3. Crush the coffee beans and peppercorns with a mortar and pestle or on the counter with the back of a small, heavy skillet.
4. Mix the coffee bean– peppercorn mixture with the chocolate, mustard, anchovies, garlic, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to make a thick paste.
5. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over high heat. When it shimmers, add the beef and sear it on all sides, about 8 minutes. Press down on the beef to get a good crust on it. Slather the paste on the beef and strew the herbs on top.
6. Slide the skillet into the oven and roast until the beef registers 120° to 125°F for medium-rare; start checking with an instant-read thermometer after 20 minutes. Tent the roast loosely with foil and let it rest for 30 minutes before carving.
Beef beyond the roast:
One-pot beef stew from Top Chef’s Stephanie Izard