Some of you folks remember the classic BBC cooking show 'Two Fat Ladies'. They rode around the UK on their antique Triumph motorcycle with sidecar, wearing funny leather helmets and goggles, chain-smoked cigarettes in the earlier episodes, and added bacon to anything that didn't run away, and if it DID, they killed it and added bacon to it.
This is my homage to Clarissa and Jennifer!
Ingredients:
One or more 3-lb tenderloins of beef, trimmed of fat and connective tissues
One pound of good quality thick-cut bacon per linear foot of tenderloin- this is the only time you will see that unit of measurement applied to food
Some small scrubbed potatoes
Herb paste:
Several sprigs each of fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme, coarsely chopped
2 shallots, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
Teaspoon balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons dry red wine
Black pepper and salt to taste
Put all this stuff in a blender and puree, then add half again its volume in olive oil or melted butter and whirl one more time quick
Rub the beef down well with herb paste, covering it all as thickly as its consistency allows, and working it into any splits between the muscles too. Use any leftover paste and toss the taters in it.
Lay the bacon out flat as shown, overlapping pieces so the fattier side of each is facing up. Note that they are also flipped end to end so the piece comes out as a rectangle.
Thread a large upholstery or darning needle with clean white cotton or hemp cord. Thicker is better. Carefully lace up the bacon as shown, pulling just snug enough to hold together without tearing. This is why you should choose THICK bacon. If you can't find any, get it from a butcher. Thin commercial bacon is a bitch to lace up.
Pat it down flat and carefully lay it on a roasting pan with a grate in it, lacing side down. Let sit until it comes to room temperature, or close.
Place the whole thing in an oven set to 300'F, uncovered. The bacon is sacrifical. A thick roast will take ~1 1/2 hours to cook. But you MUST monitor inner temperature during this time. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the roast and remove from the oven when the thermometer reads 125'F for rare or 130'F for medium rare.
Cover loosely, LOOSELY, with tinfoil when it comes out. Just lay a flat piece over the roast, or don't cover at all. I don't like well cooked red meat and don't know the numbers for a more-cooked roast, sorry. The roast will come up a bit more in temperature over the next 15 minutes and will then be ready to plate and carve.
I serve it with shiitake gravy:
Re-hydrate 2 handfuls of dried shiitake and oyster mushrooms in half and half white vermouth and water, just enough to cover. When moistened, squeeze out excess liquid and reserve, and chop coarsely.
Finely chop 2-3 shallots.
To reserved mushroom vermouth juice, add some concentrated beef stock and bring volume to ~2 cups with more water. Whisk.
Saute shallot and mushroom in a HEAVY saucepan with 2 tablespoons of butter. When they start to brown, add another 2 tbsp butter or roast drippings and shake in enough flour to partially coat the mushrooms. Continue to stir and scrape the pan for another minute or two to cook the flour, then add mushroom juice and whisk until smooth. Cook until thickened, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Other accompaniments that are good with this meal are wild rice, a Yorkshire pudding, and steamed asparagus with lemon butter.
This is my homage to Clarissa and Jennifer!
Ingredients:
One or more 3-lb tenderloins of beef, trimmed of fat and connective tissues
One pound of good quality thick-cut bacon per linear foot of tenderloin- this is the only time you will see that unit of measurement applied to food
Some small scrubbed potatoes
Herb paste:
Several sprigs each of fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme, coarsely chopped
2 shallots, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
Teaspoon balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons dry red wine
Black pepper and salt to taste
Put all this stuff in a blender and puree, then add half again its volume in olive oil or melted butter and whirl one more time quick
Rub the beef down well with herb paste, covering it all as thickly as its consistency allows, and working it into any splits between the muscles too. Use any leftover paste and toss the taters in it.
Lay the bacon out flat as shown, overlapping pieces so the fattier side of each is facing up. Note that they are also flipped end to end so the piece comes out as a rectangle.
Thread a large upholstery or darning needle with clean white cotton or hemp cord. Thicker is better. Carefully lace up the bacon as shown, pulling just snug enough to hold together without tearing. This is why you should choose THICK bacon. If you can't find any, get it from a butcher. Thin commercial bacon is a bitch to lace up.
Pat it down flat and carefully lay it on a roasting pan with a grate in it, lacing side down. Let sit until it comes to room temperature, or close.
Place the whole thing in an oven set to 300'F, uncovered. The bacon is sacrifical. A thick roast will take ~1 1/2 hours to cook. But you MUST monitor inner temperature during this time. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the roast and remove from the oven when the thermometer reads 125'F for rare or 130'F for medium rare.
Cover loosely, LOOSELY, with tinfoil when it comes out. Just lay a flat piece over the roast, or don't cover at all. I don't like well cooked red meat and don't know the numbers for a more-cooked roast, sorry. The roast will come up a bit more in temperature over the next 15 minutes and will then be ready to plate and carve.
I serve it with shiitake gravy:
Re-hydrate 2 handfuls of dried shiitake and oyster mushrooms in half and half white vermouth and water, just enough to cover. When moistened, squeeze out excess liquid and reserve, and chop coarsely.
Finely chop 2-3 shallots.
To reserved mushroom vermouth juice, add some concentrated beef stock and bring volume to ~2 cups with more water. Whisk.
Saute shallot and mushroom in a HEAVY saucepan with 2 tablespoons of butter. When they start to brown, add another 2 tbsp butter or roast drippings and shake in enough flour to partially coat the mushrooms. Continue to stir and scrape the pan for another minute or two to cook the flour, then add mushroom juice and whisk until smooth. Cook until thickened, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Other accompaniments that are good with this meal are wild rice, a Yorkshire pudding, and steamed asparagus with lemon butter.
for your roast too!!
