Beef Tenderloin with a Mustard-Shallot Sauce and Spinach-Stuffed Tomatoes

Plan Z Phase: This is a Z2 (ZReduction) recipe. This sauce will remind you of an upscale version of the sauce they use on sliders at White Castle. I’m not positive, so be sure to let me know what you think!

You can also use this on other cuts of beef. Chicken is a great idea, too.

Servings: Serves 2.

Ingredients:

For steak and sauce

  • 2, 6-8 oz pieces of beef tenderloin (bison is good too)
  • a light dusting of Cajun spice or steak rub (optional)
  • 1 large shallot minced (at White Castle these would be regular onions)
  • ½ cup of chicken or beef broth.  (I used chicken)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tbl of Dijon (no sugar) mustard

For the stuffed tomatoes

  • 2 medium tomatoes
  • 1 handful of baby spinach leaves
  • ½ tsp of minced garlic (jar garlic will do)
  • salt and pepper
  • 5 grissinetti ground for bread crumbs.   Or 1 skinny long one or ½ of a larger, long one

Instructions:

Since the tomatoes take the longest I’ll give you the instructions for those first.

First, cut the top off of the tomato (stem end). Discard. Next, cut just a small bit off of the bottom of the tomato so when you sit it upright it doesn’t topple over. Sprinkle salt into the open cavity, lightly.

Take a teaspoon and scoop a middle out of the tomato. I just start about a quarter inch in from the outer edge and carefully run the spoon around that edge and toward the middle. You are just scooping out the middle of the tomato like scooping ice cream out of the carton. It takes just a bit of effort to get the middle of the tomato to let go. You don’t have to dig all the way down. Just go as low as you are comfortable. As you get the middles scooped out, keep them on a cutting board. You are going to use them.

When that’s complete, chop up the tomato into bits.

In a lightly sprayed, medium sauté pan, add the tomatoes and the spinach. Now add the garlic and toss until the water from the tomatoes wets the spinach and the spinach mostly wilts. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. This is done in a flash. Then you put the filling you just made into your cut out tomatoes. Sprinkle on your bread crumbs. Put in an oven-proof pan and heat at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until the tomatoes are completely heated. At the end you are going to turn the oven up to broil to slightly brown the tops of the tomatoes.

If you pop these in the oven first, and then start the steak, they will both be done about the same time. The last thing you will do is broil the crumb topping so save that til last.

For the steak and sauce:

Season the steak with salt and pepper. I also sprinkle on a bit of Cajun seasoning for zip and it will transfer a bit to the sauce. Spray lightly with olive oil and put in your cast iron pan or oven proof pan. Sear one side for 2 minutes on medium high. Then flip the steak over, and put it in your oven for 7” per inch for medium rare. Remove it at about 115 degrees. Put it on another plate and cover it to keep warm. You need the cast iron pan with the juices to make your sauce. Lightly spray the pan again and add the shallots. As the shallots are cooking on medium high, scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan and stir them into the shallots. When the shallots are softened, add the chicken broth and the Worcestershire. Bring to boil. Grate in a bit of salt and pepper. Reduce the sauce on medium high until slightly thickened. Add the mustard and stir. Taste. If the sauce gets too thick for your tastes you can always add more broth and just heat and reduce a bit again. It’s not very scientific. Just get it the way you like it.

I serve the steak with the sauce UNDER the steak and the tomato on the side.

Enjoy!

Cheers,