Chateaubriand With Portabella-bacon Sauce

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 8 1/4 cups beef broth (low salt if using canned)
• merlot, 1 bottle (or other red wine with mellow tannins)
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 4 ounces sliced double-smoked bacon, cut in half lengthwise and julienned
• 5 shallots, finely diced
• 8 -10 portabella mushrooms, caps, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch or 3 tablespoons arrowroot
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 4 -4 1/2 lbs beef tenderloin, trimmed with the thin tail end folded to equalize thickness and tied at 1 1/2 inch intervals

Recipe

• 1 portabello-bacon sauce: place 8 cups of the broth in a saucepan over medium heat and reduce to about 2 cups.
• 2 reduce the red wine to about 1 cup in a separate saucepan.
• 3 heat 1/4 cup oil in a large pan, then add the bacon and cook until it's crisp, but not burned; remove and set aside.
• 4 add shallots to the pan, cook till translucent, and stir in the diced mushrooms.
• 5 when mushrooms have released all their liquid, return the bacon to the pan, add the reduced wine, and bring to a simmer.
• 6 add the reduced beef broth and thyme and simmer for 30 minutes.
• 7 mix in the cornstarch or arrowroot with the remaining 1/4 cup beef broth and add to the sauce after the first 15 minutes of cooking.
• 8 when ready to serve, whisk in the butter and season with salt and pepper.
• 9 if the sauce become to thick thin it out with a little water.
• 10 chateaubriand: preheat the over to 400 degrees.
• 11 season the meat generously with salt and pepper.
• 12 heat remaining oil in a large ovenproof saute pan, and when the oil begins to smoke, add the tenderloin and sear on all sides.
• 13 place the pan in the oven and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, to desired doneness (115-118 degrees for rare, 120 for medium rare).
• 14 remove from oven, cover loosely with foil, and allow to rest for 20 minutes.
• 15 cut into 2 inch thick slices and serve 2 per person with the portobello-bacon sauce.
• 16 hearts of celery, organic carrorts, leeks, and bintje potatoes- all braised- make a great side.