Tournedos Péruvienne

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch (30 cm) cast-iron grill pan or outdoor grill
• •10-inch (25 cm) wide skillet
• •Small rimmed baking sheet
• •Small melon baller and sharp paring knife
• •Heavy-duty foil for supporting the cases
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Kitchen twine

Instructions

1. 1

   Hollow the Oxalis

   Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Peel the Oxalis roots, then cut a thin slice from the underside of each so it stands securely. Working from the top with a small melon baller and paring knife, hollow each root into a case with walls and a base about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. Reserve every scrap of pulp and chop it finely. If the knife pierces a case, ça se rattrape: press a thin piece of reserved pulp over the hole and support the root in a snug ring of crumpled foil while it bakes.

   Choose the largest, least-branched oca available. Knobbly little roots taste fine, but they cannot be hollowed into the upright cases that define this garnish.
2. 2

   Cook the duxelles

   Melt the butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 2 minutes without browning, then add the mushrooms, chopped Oxalis pulp, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and half the pepper. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables release their liquid, the liquid evaporates, and the mixture gathers into a moist but firm paste, 10 to 12 minutes. Wet duxelles will leak into the cases and soften the bread raspings; if it still glistens with loose liquid, spread it thinly across the pan and keep cooking. Stir in the parsley off the heat and let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Fill and bake

   Season the insides of the Oxalis cases lightly. Pack each with duxelles, pressing out air pockets, then shape the filling into a generous dome above the rim as the original garnish requires. Sprinkle the domes evenly with the fresh bread raspings and drizzle them with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil. Stand the cases upright in foil rings on a small baking sheet and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until a fine knife enters the root walls easily and the tops are pale gold. If the crumbs color before the cases are tender, cover the tops loosely with foil. Keep the finished cases warm while the grill pan heats.

4. 4

   Heat the grill

   Set a heavy cast-iron grill pan over high heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until it is fiercely hot. Pat the tournedos completely dry and tie them around the middle with kitchen twine if they need help holding their round shape. Brush the beef with the remaining teaspoon of oil, then season with the remaining salt and pepper. The dry surface and hot iron are not ceremony; they are what give tenderloin its bronze crust before the center dries.

5. 5

   Grill hot and quick

   Lay the tournedos on the grill pan with space between them and leave them untouched for 3 to 4 minutes, until they take a deep brown crust and release without tearing. Turn once and cook for another 2 to 4 minutes, checking the center with an instant-read thermometer. Remove them at 125 to 130°F (52 to 54°C) for medium-rare; they will rise several degrees while resting. If the beef clings when you try to turn it, don't tug. Give it another 30 seconds and the browned crust will release. Rest the tournedos for 5 minutes on a warm plate.

6. 6

   Gratinate the cases

   While the beef rests, switch the oven to its broiler and move the Oxalis cases 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) beneath the element. Gratiner means to brown under fierce top heat; give the domes 60 to 90 seconds, just until the raspings turn deep gold and the butter-rich duxelles gleams beneath them. Watch without turning away. If one spot colors too quickly, rotate the tray rather than lowering the heat.

7. 7

   Build the crown

   Remove the twine and arrange the four tournedos in a close crown on a warm oval platter. Surround them with the four upright Oxalis cases, one for each steak, keeping the crisp domes clear of the resting juices. Spoon those juices over the beef only and serve at once. The garnish has done its waiting; the tournedos must not. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Oca is also sold as Oxalis or New Zealand yam. Look for large, firm, unbranched tubers at a specialist produce market. The flesh should be crisp and pleasantly tart, which is the contrast the mild tenderloin needs.
• •If oca cannot be found, a small waxy potato can serve as a functional hollow case, but the result is no longer Tournedos Péruvienne. The oxalis root supplies both the architecture and the clean sorrel-like edge of the garnish.
• •Do not invent a sauce for this plate. The source sets quickly grilled beef against moist mushroom duxelles and tart Oxalis, with bread raspings for contrast. A sauce would blur the arrangement and belong to another tournedos garnish.
• •A Cabernet Franc from the Loire has enough savory character for the mushrooms without smothering the tenderloin. Pour it before the beef reaches the grill, because there will be no time for corks once the tournedos are cooking.

Advance Preparation

• •The duxelles can be cooked up to 2 days ahead, covered, and chilled. Warm it briefly before filling the roots so the cases bake evenly.
• •The Oxalis cases can be hollowed, filled, and chilled for up to 4 hours. Add the bread raspings and oil just before baking so the topping stays distinct.
• •The tournedos may be salted and left uncovered in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours. Pat them dry before oiling and grilling; a dry exterior browns faster.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 275g)