Tournedos Cendrillon

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •2-quart (1.9-liter) covered saucepan
• •Small blender or immersion blender
• •10- to 12-inch (25- to 30-cm) heavy skillet
• •Small broiler-safe tray
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •12-inch (30-cm) warm oval serving platter
• •Kitchen string

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the tournedos

   Take the tournedos from the cold about twenty minutes before cooking. Tie each around its waist with kitchen string so it keeps its round shape, then pat every surface thoroughly dry. Leave them unseasoned for the moment. Check that each artichoke bottom sits level, trimming only a thin shaving from underneath if necessary and never cutting through the cup.

2. 2

   Cook the Soubise

   Melt 1 tablespoon (15 ml / 14 g) of the unsalted butter in a small covered saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, cover, and suer, sweat without colouring, for 12 to 15 minutes. The onion should collapse into a translucent mass without taking on brown edges. Stir in the rice, add 1/2 cup (120 ml / 120 g) of the stock, and cover again. Cook at the gentlest simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, until the rice crushes easily and the onion offers no resistance. If the pan catches, add a spoonful of the reserved stock and scrape gently. Ça se rattrape.

3. 3

   Finish the Soubise

   Blend the onion and rice mixture until completely smooth, then return it to the saucepan. Stir in the cream and cook uncovered over low heat until the Soubise holds a soft mound rather than running across the pan. Take it off the heat and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 29 g) unsalted butter, a little at a time, then fold in the chopped truffle and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Taste and correct the salt. If the butter beads on the surface, remove the pan from all heat and whisk in 1 teaspoon of warm reserved stock until the purée comes together. Ça se rattrape. Keep it covered and warm, but do not boil it after the truffle goes in.

   The finished Soubise must be smooth and thick enough to sit proudly in the artichoke bottoms. If it slumps, reduce it for another minute before adding the final butter.
4. 4

   Fill the artichokes

   Set an oven rack about 6 inches (15 cm) below the broiler and heat the broiler to high. Brush a broiler-safe tray and the artichoke bottoms with 1 tablespoon (15 ml / 13 g) of the clarified butter. Season the bottoms lightly with about 1/4 teaspoon of salt, set them cup-side up, and divide the truffled Soubise among them, smoothing each portion into a generous dome. Leave them ready beside the oven. The broiler is the honest home equivalent of the fierce oven or salamander.

5. 5

   Sear the tournedos

   Season the tournedos on every side with the remaining salt and pepper. Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high to high heat until properly hot, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 27 g) clarified butter. When it shimmers, lay in the beef with space between the pieces. Sear without moving for about 2 1/2 minutes, turn, and cook the second side for about 2 minutes. Roll the edges against the pan for 20 to 30 seconds where needed. Check from the side with an instant-read thermometer and pull the meat at 122 to 125°F (50 to 52°C) for medium-rare, or 130°F (54°C) for medium. The temperature will rise as it rests. If the crust is pale but the centre is already near its target, take the meat out. A pale tournedos can still be juicy; an overcooked one cannot be uncooked.

   Tenderloin contains little internal fat. A hot pan gives it colour before the centre dries, while a thermometer tells you when to stop guessing.
6. 6

   Glaze while resting

   Transfer the tournedos to a rack and rest them for 5 minutes, shielding them loosely rather than wrapping them tightly. Slide the filled artichoke bottoms under the broiler for 2 to 4 minutes, watching without interruption, until the Soubise is glossy and freckled with gold. If the tops colour too quickly, lower the tray at once. They need glazing, not scorching. Warm the serving platter with hot water while they cook, then dry it thoroughly.

7. 7

   Assemble and serve

   Arrange the four glazed artichoke bottoms in a circle on the warm platter. Remove the string from the rested tournedos and set one squarely on each bottom, keeping the golden Soubise visible around the beef. Serve immediately. Do not invent a pan sauce here; the buttered, truffled Soubise is the sauce the preparation requires. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Ask the butcher for four even center-cut pieces from the tenderloin, not tapered end pieces. Uniform thickness matters more than extravagant size because all four tournedos must leave the pan together.
• •Frozen artichoke bottoms usually have the cleanest flavour outside their season. Jarred or canned bottoms are an honest pantry answer, but rinse away the preserving liquid and dry them thoroughly or the Soubise will slide.
• •Use fresh black truffle when it is good, or a whole preserved black truffle when it is not. Truffle oil supplies perfume but none of the chopped truffle texture prescribed here, so it does not make the same dish.
• •An earthy red Burgundy suits the truffle and beef without bullying the artichoke. Serve it a little cool, and keep the rest of the plate simple.

Advance Preparation

• •Cook and blend the onion and rice base up to one day ahead, stopping before the cream, final butter, and truffle. Chill it promptly, then reheat gently with a spoonful of stock and finish it just before filling the artichokes.
• •Drain, rinse, and dry preserved artichoke bottoms up to 6 hours ahead. Keep them covered in the cold, then let them lose their chill while the Soubise cooks.
• •Tie and dry the tournedos up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate them uncovered. Take them out about 20 minutes before searing, but season only when the skillet is ready.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 285g)