Loin Of Beef With Watercress Puree Recipes

LOIN OF BEEF WITH WATERCRESS PUREE

Steps:

• First, make the sauce. Put a pan of salted water on to boil. Push in all the watercress and boil for 5 minutes. Add the spinach and cook for another minute or so until wilted. Drain in a colander. Press with the back of a ladle to extract as much moisture as possible.
• Put the leaves in a food processor and blend to a fine puree, scraping down the sides occasionally. Pour 1/4 cup of the cream through the processor funnel and keep the blades whirling for what seems like an eternity. You will eventually get a sauce with a texture like silk. It will be so smooth, you will not need to pass it through a sieve. If you want a pouring sauce, add the remaining cream. Check the seasoning, and pour into a small saucepan for reheating.
• Cut the beef loin into 4 even steaks and rub each side using 1 tablespoon oil. Heat a heavy, non-stick frying pan until you can feel a good heat rising. Lay in your steaks-they should give a good hiss as they hit the hot pan. Season the tops and cook for about 3 minutes, then flip over and cook the other side for 2 minutes. Slip the butter into the pan at this stage and season the second side. Remove the steaks from the pan and leave to rest while you cook the mushrooms.
• Saute the mushrooms with the garlic in the remaining oil. Season and mix with the parsley.
• Reheat the watercress puree. Place the steaks on warmed plates (sliced first if you like), trickle any pan juices over, and spoon on the mushrooms. If your watercress puree is firm, shape it into quenelles. If it is a sauce, spoon some over the steaks and pass the rest separately. Serve whatever accompaniment you like to eat steak with. Fries are great, or why not try slices of really fresh baguette?

COFFEE-ROASTED FILLET OF BEEF

Steps:

• Seed, stem and cut the chilies into pieces. Tear the tortilla into pieces. Set both aside. In a saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the chilies and tortilla and cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until softened. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil and then simmer, partly covered, for 10 minutes. In a blender, purée the hot mixture until smooth. Pour through a fine sieve set over a saucepan, pressing on the solids. Discard the solids. Whisk in the cream, 1 teaspoon salt and the brown sugar. Season to taste.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together the coffee, cocoa and cinnamon. Pat the beef dry and rub with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper; then rub with oil. Sprinkle the coffee mixture over a sheet of wax paper and coat the beef in it. Place the beef on a rack set in a roasting pan and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Roast the beef for 10 minutes; then lower the temperature to 250 and cook for an hour more, or until the meat reaches 130 degrees. Let stand, loosely covered with foil, for 10 minutes. (The meat will continue to cook, reaching about 135 degrees.)
• Bring the broth to a boil and simmer until just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Cover and keep warm.
• In a large skillet, melt the remaining butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until golden. Season with salt and pepper.
• Remove the twine and cut the beef into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Spoon just enough broth to cover the bottoms of 4 to 6 shallow, wide soup bowls. Add 2 to 3 slices of beef, spoon more broth over the beef if desired and top with mushrooms and watercress.

BEEF TENDERLOIN WITH ROASTED SHALLOTS, BACON AND PORT

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. In 9-inch-diameter pie pan, toss shallots with oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until shallots are deep brown and very tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Boil broth and Port in large saucepan until reduced to 3 3/4 cups, about 30 minutes. Whisk in tomato paste. (Shallots and broth mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill.)
• Pat beef dry; sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. In large roasting pan set over medium heat, sauté bacon until golden, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Add beef to pan; brown on all sides over medium-high heat, about 7 minutes. Transfer pan to oven; roast beef until meat thermometer inserted into center registers 125°F for medium-rare, about 45 minutes. Transfer beef to platter. Tent loosely with foil.
• Spoon fat off top of pan drippings in roasting pan. Place roasting pan over high heat. Add broth mixture and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer to medium saucepan; bring to simmer. Mix 3 tablespoons butter and flour in small bowl to form smooth paste; whisk into broth mixture and simmer until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Whisk in 3 tablespoons butter. Stir in roasted shallots and reserved bacon. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Cut beef into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Spoon some sauce over. Garnish with watercress. Pass remaining sauce.

ROASTED BEEF TENDERLOIN WITH SHERRY VINAIGRETTE AND WATERCRESS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500°F. Rub 1 tablespoon olive oil into beef, then rub in kosher salt and ground mixed peppercorns. Place beef on small rimmed baking sheet. Roast 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 450°F and roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 125°F for medium-rare, about 15 minutes longer. Let meat stand 5 minutes (internal temperature of meat will increase 5 to 10 degrees).
• Meanwhile, whisk remaining 5 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, and mustard in small bowl to blend. Stir in shallots and season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper.
• Arrange watercress on small platter. Cut meat into 1/2-inch-thick slices; arrange overlapping slices atop watercress. Drizzle any accumulated juices over meat. Spoon half of vinaigrette down center of meat and over watercress. Serve, passing remaining vinaigrette separately.