Beef Roulade with Pistachios and Compound Butter
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
1 whole beef tenderloin, 6 to 7 pounds
1 cup fresh coarse dry breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ cups toasted, salted pistachios, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
COMPOUND BUTTER
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, left at room temperature for 15 minutes
1 small shallot. minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
For the compound butter, mash the butter until soft and add the shallot, parsley and chives. Season with salt and pepper. Chill for 15 minutes. Remove the butter from the refrigerator. Place a 10"-square piece of plastic wrap on a work surface. With a rubber spatula, mound the butter along the center of the plastic wrap. Bring one side of the plastic wrap over the butter and roll the butter in a tube shape, 1" in diameter. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap in opposite directions, like a candy wrapper. Chill the butter until firm.
Trim the beef tenderloin of all fat. Cut off the bottom 2 to 3-inches of the tenderloin and reserve for another use. Attached along the entire side of the tenderloin is an extraneous piece of meat called the chain that is attached by fat. Remove the chain. Place the tenderloin on a work surface and make a cut all the way down one side of the tenderloin, approximately ½-inch deep. With a knife, follow the cut in a spiral manner to create a flat piece. Pound the tenderloin very lightly so that it is the same thickness all over. Season with salt and pepper.
In a bowl, toss together the breadcrumbs and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the pistachios, garlic, lemon zest, parsley and red pepper flakes. Spread the pistachio mixture evenly over the tenderloin, leaving a 1/2"-inch border around all edge. Smooth with a rubber spatula. Roll the tenderloin and tie at 1-inch intervals with kitchen string. Season the outside with salt and pepper.
Preheat an oven to 400F.
Warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy frying pan over high heat. Brown the beef until golden on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Place the beef in a roasting pan and roast in the oven until an instant read thermometer registers 130F when inserted into the center of the thickest part of the meat. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes.
To serve, slice the tenderloin into 1/3-inch slices, removing the strings as you go. Place 2 to 3 slices of beef on each plate and a couple “quarter-size” pieces of butter onto the top.
