Shelly's Recipe

BEEF TENDERLOIN MEDALLIONS WITH HERB CRUST

Category: Roasts/Tenderloin - Beef

1/2 cup loosely packed medium-finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp rosemary
1 tsp lightly chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
8 (2 1/4 lbs) beef tenderloin medallions, 3/4 inch thick
1/4 cup olive oil; more as needed

Using your fingers, thoroughly mix the parsley, rosemary, thyme, salt, and several grinds of pepper in a shallow baking dish or pie pan.

Gently flatten the medallions between your hands to about 1/2 inch thick. Coat the medallions with the herb mixture. The goal is a uniform but thin crust; you should still be able to see the meat through the herbs. Lightly press the meat into the herb mixture to coat one side. Turn it over and gently press to coat the other side. Put the meat on a platter and coat the remaining pieces.

Heat the olive oil in a large (12 inch) skillet over high heat. When the first wisp of smoke rises from the oil, use tongs to set four medallions in the pan in a single layer. Cook until the herbs on the bottom turn very deep brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the medallions over and cook the other side to the same deep brown, about 2 minutes; this should give you medium-rare medallions.

Scrape out any stuck-on bits, add a bit more oil to the pan, let it get hot, and cook the other four medallions. To test for doneness, cut a small slit into a medallion and peek inside; remember that the meat continues to cook as it rests.

Transfer the medallions to a warm platter and let them rest in a warm place, such as the back of the stove, for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 4