Dec 9, 2014

Christmas Eve Tenderloin with Roasted Cauliflower

This is an excellent (albeit rather expensive) dinner.  It's easy enough for a busy weeknight, yet fancy enough for guests.  It would be perfect for Christmas Eve- it's even Christmas colors when you add the pomegranate seeds.  We always have tenderloin on Christmas Eve (except on this year due to a special duty for Deeds- more on that later).


Adapted from Country Living:
1 2 lb trimmed and tied beef tenderloin (I used 2 chateaubriand cuts)
6 T olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 heads cauliflower, separated into florets
5 large shallots, peeled and quartered
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons whole grain dijon mustard
1 bunch kale, torn into bite size pieces
1/2 cup pomegrante seeds (optional)

Heat oven to 475 degrees.  Place beef on a large rimmed baking sheet.  Rub with one teaspoon olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Bake at 475 for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss 2 tablespoons oil with cauliflower and shallot, season with additional salt and pepper.  Quickly scatter vegetables around beef in the pan and continue to bake, stirring vegetables once, 18 more minutes (for medium-rare ((mine was medium at this time))) or until meat reaches desired degree of doneness.

Remove beef from pan and core with foil; let stand for 15 minutes.  stir kale into hot pan with vegetables, cook for an additional five minutes.  Whisk together remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice and mustard, and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Drizzle vegetable with mixture and stir in the pomegranate seeds, if using.  Slice beef and serve with vegetables.


Mmmm. look at all those roasted veggies cooked to perfection with all that tenderloin flavor.  YUM!  Morgan was a big fan of this as well.  Normally I like my beef practically mooing, but this was excellent cooked to the medium side of medium rare.

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