Tournedos Baltimore

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet
• •2-quart (2 L) saucepan
• •10-inch (25 cm) skillet for the vegetable roundels
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •12-inch (30 cm) round serving platter
• •Small warmed sauceboat
• •Kitchen twine, optional

Instructions

1. 1

   Ready the service

   Take the tournedos from the cold 25 minutes before frying. Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C), set out a warm round platter or four plates, and arrange every garnish within reach. The beef is cooked last, so this quiet preparation is what lets one cook do the work of several without making the fillet wait.

2. 2

   Cream the maize

   Melt 1 tablespoon (15 ml / 14 g) of the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the maize and ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml / 1.5 g) of the salt, tossing until the kernels glisten. Pour in the cream and simmer gently for 6 to 8 minutes, crushing about one-quarter of the kernels against the pan with a spoon, until the cream clings and the mixture holds a soft mound. Keep it barely warm. If it remains loose, simmer another minute; if it tightens too far, stir in a teaspoon of cream or water. Ça se rattrape.

3. 3

   Crisp the tartlets

   Set the baked tartlet shells on a tray and warm them for 5 to 7 minutes, until their butter scent returns and the bases feel dry. Turn off the oven and leave the door slightly open while they wait. Do not fill them yet: the shells are the crisp foundation, and creamed maize left sitting inside will soften them.

4. 4

   Butter the roundels

   Melt 1 tablespoon (15 ml / 14 g) of the remaining unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat. Season the tomato roundels lightly and toss them in the butter for about 30 seconds per side, just until glossy and warmed without collapsing; lift them carefully to a warm plate. Add the final tablespoon of unsalted butter, then toss the green capsicum roundels for 1 to 2 minutes, until brilliantly green and just tender at the edges. Keep both garnishes warm.

5. 5

   Warm the sauce

   Warm the finished Châteaubriand Sauce (No. 71) over the lowest heat, stirring gently, until fluid and glossy, then transfer it to a warm sauceboat. Never let it boil, because its butter finish can separate. If an oily sheen appears, take it off the heat and whisk in 1 teaspoon (5 ml / 5 g) of cold water until it comes together again. Ça se rattrape.

6. 6

   Fry the tournedos

   Dry the tournedos thoroughly and season them with the remaining salt and the black pepper. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add the clarified butter, and wait until it shimmers. Lay in the tournedos with space between them and fry without disturbing for 2 to 3 minutes, until the undersides are deeply bronzed. Turn once and cook for another 2 minutes, then roll the edges briefly through the butter. For medium-rare, remove them at 125 to 130°F (52 to 54°C) and rest for 4 minutes. If the crust is pale, give each tournedos another 30 seconds alone at the hottest part of the pan; don't extend the whole cooking time and dry the centre.

7. 7

   Build the crown

   Spoon the creamed maize into the warm tartlet shells and arrange the four tartlets in a ring, the book's crown, on the warmed platter. Set one tournedos on each, followed by a tomato roundel and then a smaller green capsicum roundel. Bring the Châteaubriand Sauce (No. 71) alongside rather than pouring it over, so the tartlets stay crisp and each diner can sauce the beef without hiding the crown. Serve at once. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Ask for four evenly cut medallions from the centre of the tenderloin. Matching thickness matters more than imposing size, because all four must reach the plate together. If one loosens at the edge, tie it gently around its circumference with kitchen twine before frying.
• •Fresh maize is splendid in season, but frozen kernels are the honest classical pantry answer when the ears are tired. Thaw and dry them well so their water doesn't dilute the cream.
• •Use plain savory tartlet shells with real butter and no sugar. The source assumed a pastry station had them waiting; buying or baking four shells ahead removes brigade scaffolding without changing the structure of the dish.
• •Châteaubriand Sauce (No. 71) is a finished preparation from its own entry. Keep it whole and serve it apart, as the source directs; substituting an improvised pan gravy would change both the flavor and the service.
• •A medium-bodied red Bordeaux or a Cabernet Franc has enough freshness for the tomato and capsicum without bullying the fillet. The sauce carries plenty of butter, so the wine needn't be heavy.
• •This dish does not improve by waiting. If fewer than four people are eating, prepare all the garnishes but fry only the tournedos you will serve; uncooked fillet keeps better than reheated fillet.

Advance Preparation

• •The savory tartlet shells can be baked one day ahead, cooled completely, and kept airtight. Recrisp them in the oven just before filling.
• •The creamed maize can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead and chilled. Reheat it gently, loosening it with a teaspoon of cream if it has tightened.
• •Prepare Châteaubriand Sauce (No. 71) before starting the beef and hold it barely warm for no more than 30 minutes. The final sear should be the only work left once the sauce is ready.
• •The tomato and green capsicum roundels can be cut up to 2 hours ahead and kept covered in the cold. Pat the tomato dry before it meets the butter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 335g)