The Royal Chef At Home: Easy Seasonal Entertaining

PAN SEARED BEEF TENDERLOIN STEAKS WITH A BURGUNDY CHOCOLATE SAUCE

REDWINE AND CHOCOLATE GOWELL TOGETHER, EVEN IN A SAUCE! This was one of my favorite sauces when I was cooking in the royal kitchens of Balmoral Castle. It goes incredibly well with venison tenderloin, but is just as delicious with beef too. TIP: Use chocolate above 60% and add it right at the last minute. Don’t boil the sauce once the chocolate has been added. Heat gently. MAKES 4 PORTIONS

2 carrots chopped

1 onion cut in half 2 whole cloves 3 garlic cloves cut into halves 1 bay leaf

4 (8 ounce each) center cut beef tenderloin steaks 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter 3 tablespoons flour 4 ounces dark chocolate

BURGUNDY CHOCOLATE SAUCE 1 bottle Burgundy wine 2 cups chicken broth

1 sprig of parsley 1 sprig of thyme 1 sprig of rosemary

Salt and pepper to taste

1 MAKE THE SAUCE Combine the wine and broth in a big saucepan. Stick each onion half with a clove and add it to the pot along with the garlic, bay leaf, parsley, thyme, rosemary and carrots. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to medium and simmer until it is reduced to about half and the vegetables are very soft. 2 Strain this wine mixture pressing hard against the strainer to extract all the sauce and winey flavor. Discard the vegetables. 2 Return the sauce to the stove and heat through. Mix together the butter and flour then stir this in too letting it thicken and become glossy as it

cooks. This should only take about 5 minutes. Break the chocolate into small pieces and whisk into the sauce. Season with salt pepper and keep warm

3 Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

4 Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet and add the vegetable oil. Sear the steaks until golden brown on all sides and place in the oven for about 6-8 minutes to required doneness. Remove the steaks from the oven and allow to rest for about 5-10 minutes. Spoon the sauce onto four plates and place a steak on top of the sauce.

WINTER · VALENTINE’S DINNER FOR TWO

201