Tournedos Vert-pré

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch (30 cm) cast-iron grill pan or outdoor grill
• •Heavy 3-quart (3 L) saucepan or Dutch oven for frying
• •Mandoline with hand guard or a very sharp chef's knife
• •Deep-fry thermometer
• •Instant-read meat thermometer
• •Wire rack set over a sheet pan
• •Large oval heat-safe serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Make maître d'hôtel butter

   Beat the softened butter with the parsley, lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper until evenly green-flecked. Shape it into a short log about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick in parchment, then chill for 20 minutes, just until it can be sliced. It must remain soft enough to yield against hot beef; if made ahead and thoroughly chilled, cut four thick coins and leave them at room temperature while the tournedos cook.

2. 2

   Cut and dry

   Set the tournedos out at cool room temperature for 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 225°F (110°C) and set a wire rack over a sheet pan. Slice the potatoes lengthwise into sheets no thicker than 1⁄16 inch (1.5 mm), then cut them into equally fine matchsticks. Rinse them in several changes of cold water until the water runs clear, soak for 10 minutes, drain, and dry between clean towels with great attention. Wash and spin the watercress completely dry. Surface water makes the potatoes spit and soften, while wet watercress collapses against the beef.

3. 3

   Fry pommes paille

   Pour the frying oil into a heavy saucepan, filling it no more than one-third full, and heat it to 350°F (175°C). Fry the potatoes in three or four loose batches, stirring gently so they separate, until evenly golden and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Drain them on the rack, season with ¾ teaspoon of the salt, and hold them in the low oven for no longer than 15 minutes. If a batch comes out pale and bends instead of snapping cleanly, lift it out, let the oil return to 350°F (175°C), and fry it again for 30 to 60 seconds. Ça se rattrape. Never leave the hot oil unattended.

   Crowding drops the oil temperature and gives you greasy potatoes. Small batches are not fussiness here; they are the difference between pommes paille and a damp tangle.
4. 4

   Grill the tournedos

   Take the frying oil off the heat and move it to a safe rear position. Heat a cast-iron grill pan or outdoor grill until fiercely hot. Pat the tournedos dry, rub them lightly with the high-heat oil, and season with the remaining 1¼ teaspoons salt and ¾ teaspoon pepper. Grill without fussing for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side, then turn once and cook for another 2 to 4 minutes. Pull them at 125 to 130°F (52 to 54°C) for medium-rare after resting, or about 135°F (57°C) for medium. If the beef clings to the grill, don't tear it away; give the crust another 20 seconds and it should release cleanly.

   For children, pregnant guests, older adults, or anyone immunocompromised, cook whole-cut beef to 145°F (63°C), then rest it for at least 3 minutes.
5. 5

   Rest under butter

   Rest the tournedos uncovered for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, warm the serving platter with hot water and dry it thoroughly. Arrange the beef on the platter and set one thick coin of beurre maître d'hôtel on each piece. The source calls for the butter half-melted: its edges should slump and gleam while the center remains visible. If the butter stays hard, warm a table knife under hot water, dry it, and flatten each coin lightly; if it liquefies completely, catch it with a spoon and return it to the beef.

6. 6

   Build the vert-pré

   Take the pommes paille from the oven and surround the tournedos with alternating generous heaps of crisp potatoes and fresh watercress. Leave the watercress undressed; the lemoned butter and resting juices provide all it needs, while its clean pepperiness keeps the plate lively. Bring the platter directly to the table. Tenderloin waits for no speech. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Ask the butcher for four evenly cut medallions from the center of the fillet, not the tapering tail. Equal thickness matters more than extravagant size because all four tournedos must leave the grill together.
• •Choose a floury potato such as a russet. Waxy potatoes hold their shape beautifully in a gratin but make stubborn, leathery pommes paille; this garnish needs a potato willing to dry and crisp.
• •Watercress must taste peppery and look alert. Keep the tender stems and leaves, discard only the thickest stalks, and dry it well enough that no water gathers on the platter.
• •No stock or additional sauce is missing. The beurre maître d'hôtel is the finish, and adding a reduction would bury the grilled beef and contradict the clean intent of the entry. We don't apologize for butter.
• •Pour a medium-bodied red Bordeaux or a Cabernet Franc from Chinon. Both have enough structure for beef and enough freshness for the watercress and lemon.

Advance Preparation

• •Make the beurre maître d'hôtel up to 3 days ahead and keep it wrapped in the refrigerator. Cut four thick coins and let them soften slightly while the beef cooks.
• •Wash and thoroughly dry the watercress a day ahead. Wrap it loosely in a barely damp towel and refrigerate it in a covered container.
• •Cut the potatoes up to 4 hours ahead and keep them submerged in cold water. Drain and dry them only when the frying oil is heating.
• •The tournedos can be tied and left uncovered in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours, which helps dry their surfaces. Set them out 30 minutes before grilling.
• •Do not fry the pommes paille well ahead. Their brief low-oven hold exists to let one cook manage the grill, not to turn them into a make-ahead garnish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 275g)