1076—Châteaubriand, Fillet Steak, Tournedos

By fillet steaks are understood those pieces of meat cut laterally from the thickest part of the fillet of beef.

They ought to be about one and one-half inches thick, and weigh from six to seven oz. Tournedos are half-fillets in respect of their weight, and might well be called the “kernels” of the fillet of beef. The usual thickness of a tournedos is about one and one-quarter inches, and they should be cut to a nice, round shape. With the object of preserving their shape, they may be tied round with string.

Châteaubriand is also procured from the centre of fillet of beef, and its weight is often twice, thrice, and sometimes more than thrice as much as that of the ordinary fillet steaks.

As a rule, especially when grilled, it constitutes a special roast for luncheons; when it is cooked in the saucepan, i.e., sautéd, it is more often served as a Relevé.

The same garnishes suit fillet, Châteaubriands, and tournedos, the only necessary modifications being in respect of size and arrangement, which should be subject to the size of the piece of meat.

The garnishes detailed hereafter are for the tournedos, which supply the greatest number of the dishes prepared from the three different cuts of fillet. If a fillet steak be prepared after one of the following recipes, the garnish should be made a little stronger, and its constituents modified in the dishing, neither of which changes need in any way alter the formula.

The same holds with regard to a Châteaubriand. Thus, for example, if it be required to prepare a fillet steak or a Châteaubriand, after the recipe “Tournedos à l’Algérienne,” the number of croquettes and tomatoes should be half as much again, and they should be arranged alternately round the meat, instead of the latter being placed on the croquettes, as in the case of the tournedos.

If the fillets are to be treated “à l’Alsacienne,” after the recipe for tournedos, the sauerkraut should be dished in a timbale instead of in tartlet-crusts, &c.

All that is needed, therefore, is a change in the method of arrangement, and this can be decided upon at a glance, without necessarily interfering with the principle of the recipe.

It should be borne in mind that nearly all the garnishes given under fillet of beef, served whole, may be applied to Châteaubriands, fillet steak, and tournedos, provided they be made in proportion to the size of the different pieces. I see no need, therefore, to repeat these vegetable recipes in so far as they relate to the various cuts of fillet of beef.

It is only necessary to add that for the fillet of beef, as well as for tournedos, noisettes, &c., a large number of plain vegetable garnishes may be used, the details of which I prefer to omit for fear of unduly lengthening this work.

Whole fillets, fillet steak, and tournedos may thus be served with garnishes of braised celery, tuberous fennel, cardoons with gravy, chow-chow and endives, braised lettuce, various purées, &c., and, generally, with all the vegetable preparations given in Chapter XVII.