Tournedos Belle-Hélène

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet
• •3-quart deep saucepan
• •Deep-frying thermometer and spider
• •Instant-read meat thermometer
• •2½-inch and ¾-inch (6.5 cm and 2 cm) round cutters
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the beurre clarifié

   Melt the ¼ cup butter in the smallest saucepan you own over low heat without stirring. When the clear golden fat has separated from the pale milk solids, skim the surface and pour the clear fat through a fine sieve, leaving the sediment behind. You should have about 3 tablespoons. Do not let it take hazelnut color; that would be beurre noisette, a different technique. If the solids begin browning, remove the pan from the heat and pour off the clear portion at once.

2. 2

   Reduce the glaze

   Boil the unsalted beef stock in a small saucepan until only about 2 tablespoons remain, 15 to 20 minutes. Lower the heat as it concentrates and watch the final minutes closely; it is ready when a warm spoon dipped into it emerges under a thin, glossy coat. Cover and set aside. If it reduces into a sticky syrup, add cold water 1 teaspoon (5 ml / 5 g) at a time until it coats rather than clumps. Ça se rattrape.

3. 3

   Build the croquette base

   Blanch the asparagus tops in generously salted boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes, until tender all the way through but still green. Cool them in cold water, drain, then press them very dry between clean towels; trapped water makes croquettes burst. Chop them finely. Melt the tablespoon of butter over medium-low heat, stir in the 2 tablespoons of flour, and cook for 1 minute without coloring. Whisk in the milk gradually, then cook until the roux-bound mixture becomes very thick and pulls cleanly from the pan. Fold in the asparagus with ¼ teaspoon salt. Keep stirring until the appareil à croquettes, the croquette mixture, holds a firm mound instead of spreading. If it slumps, cook away more moisture now. Cool for 2 minutes, stir in the yolk, spread on a plate, cover against the surface, and chill for 30 minutes.

   The asparagus must be fully tender and thoroughly dry. Firm raw centers tear the rings during shaping, while excess water opens them in the frying oil.
4. 4

   Shape the quoits

   Divide the cold mixture into 4 equal portions. With lightly floured hands, form each into a disc about 2½ inches (6.5 cm) across and ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick, then cut or press a ¾-inch (2 cm) opening through the center to make a quoit. Smooth every crack. Mix the beaten eggs with the cold water. Coat each ring first in the breading flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, keeping the center open and the shape neat. Chill the breaded quoits for at least 20 minutes. If one feels soft or cracked, press on more crumbs and chill it longer; firmness now prevents grief later.

5. 5

   Set the service

   Take the tournedos from the cold 20 minutes before cooking. Warm a large round platter in a 200°F (95°C) oven. Heat the frying oil in a deep 3-quart saucepan to 350°F (175°C), keeping the pan no more than half full, and place a wire rack over a tray nearby. Set a heavy 12-inch skillet over high heat. Pat the tournedos completely dry, then season all over with 1¼ teaspoons salt and the black pepper. Keep the croquettes, clarified butter, glaze, truffle slices, tongs, spider, and thermometer within reach. Once cooking begins, there is no useful errand left to run.

6. 6

   Cook in tandem

   Add the beurre clarifié to the hot skillet. When it shimmers, lay in the tournedos with space between them and sear without nudging for 2½ to 3 minutes, until the undersides are deeply bronzed and release cleanly. Turn them. Immediately lower the 4 croquettes into the frying oil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until evenly deep gold. Finish the tournedos for another 2 to 4 minutes, briefly standing them on their edges if those remain pale. Remove the beef at 122 to 125°F (50 to 52°C) for medium-rare after resting, then rest it for 5 minutes on a warm plate. Drain the croquettes on the rack and season lightly. If a croquette begins to open, lift it out immediately, press breadcrumbs over the seam, let the oil return to temperature, and fry it again for 30 to 60 seconds. Ça se rattrape.

   Tenderloin is lean and dries quickly. An instant-read thermometer protects the center while you build a proper crust; remove the meat early and trust the resting heat.
7. 7

   Glaze the truffle

   Warm the reduced stock over the gentlest heat. If using preserved truffle, stir in 1 teaspoon (5 ml / about 5 g) of its reserved liquid. Add the truffle slices and turn them in the glaze for 20 to 30 seconds, just until lacquered and warmed. Do not boil them; high heat drives away the aroma you paid for. If the glaze has tightened while standing, loosen it with a few drops of water before adding the truffle.

8. 8

   Build the crown

   Remove the strings from the rested tournedos. Arrange the 4 pieces in a close ring on the warmed platter, forming the crown specified by the original entry. Set one asparagus croquette on each tournedos and one broad glazed truffle slice on each croquette. Brush the truffles with any glaze left in the saucepan, but do not flood the platter; this preparation is crowned, not sauced. Carry it straight to the table. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Ask for four tournedos cut from the center of the tenderloin, equal in width and thickness. The tapered end cooks unevenly, and no amount of truffle persuades one dry medallion to match three rosy ones.
• •A whole preserved black truffle packed in its own liquid is the classical pantry's honest answer when fresh black truffle is unavailable. It slices cleanly and supplies a little liquor for the glaze. Truffle oil does neither job.
• •Use good fresh asparagus when it is in season. At another time, frozen asparagus tips are preferable to tired spears; thaw them completely, squeeze them dry, and cook the croquette mixture until it holds its shape.
• •Serve with a supple red Burgundy, whose earthiness respects the truffle without bullying the asparagus. Keep the rest of the plate simple, with small buttered potatoes or a green salad served separately.

Advance Preparation

• •The asparagus croquette mixture can be cooked and chilled a day ahead. The quoits may be shaped and breaded up to 8 hours before serving; hold them in one layer in the refrigerator.
• •The beef-stock glaze and beurre clarifié can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and chilled separately. Rewarm the glaze gently, and let the clarified butter return to a pourable consistency.
• •Trim and tie the tournedos earlier in the day, but dry and season them only shortly before cooking. Salt left on tenderloin for an uncertain interval draws moisture to the surface and fights the sear.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 265g)