Shelly's Recipe

FILET DE BOEUF BEARNAISE

Category: Steaks - Beef

4 beef tenderloin steaks, about 8 oz
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp oil
Sea salt
Tarragon sprigs

Bearnaise Sauce
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
2 tbsp finely chopped shallots
1 tsp cracked black peppercorns
1 small bunch fresh tarragon, finely chopped (include some stems)
16 tbsp (2 sticks) butter
4 egg yolks
Salt and black pepper

Remove the meat from refrigeration about 10 minutes before cooking. Season with pepper on all sides, then brush with oil.

If grilling outdoors, preheat the grill to high. Once the grill is hot, place the beef on the surface. Cook for 1 minute, then rotate beef 90 degrees to create a checkerboard pattern.

After another minute, turn the steaks over and repeat the process. Move the steaks to a less hot area of the grill and continue cooking, 2 to 4 minutes for rare, 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare.

If cooking indoors, place a cast-iron grill pan over high heat, using two burners if the size of the pan allows. Place the seasoned, oiled meat in the pan. After 2 minutes, rotate the meat 90 degrees. After another 2 minutes, turn the meat over and repeat the process. Cook to desired doneness.

Salt the steaks to taste and serve them generously dollop with bearnaise sauce and garnished with sprigs of fresh tarragon.
To make the sauce: In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, shallots, cracked pepper and tarragon. Bring to a boil and reduce until it has a paste-like consistency and almost all the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, place the butter in a saucepan over low heat. As the butter melts, foam will rise to the top. Skim the foam and discard. Remove melted butter from the heat and set aside so that the milk solids settle to the bottom.

Place the egg yolks in a stainless steel mixing bowl. Whisk in the tarragon reduction. Bring some water to a simmer in the bottom of a double boiler, and place the metal bowl with the yolks and reduction over the water, whisking constantly. Do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water, and do not let the water boil. Pull the whole bowl away from the heat if the eggs start to look like they might scramble; continue to whisk as the eggs start to become foamy.

Once the eggs become aerated and slightly foamy and thick, slowly begin drizzling in the clarified butter, whisking as you go to form an emulsion. (Use only the clarified butter, not the milk solids).

When all the butter is neatly incorporated into a lovely, fully emulsified sauce, season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust the consistency of the sauce with a tiny bit of warm water if necessary. Serve immediately. (If you need to hold the sauce for more than 10 minutes, place in a small thermos.) Serves 4