Beef Tenderloin Rolled with Spring Greens
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
1 whole beef tenderloin, 6 to 7 pounds
10 cups young greens for wilting such as escarole, chard, radicchio or beet greens
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
10 cups Rich Homemade Veal Stock
Instructions
Trim the beef tenderloin of all fat. Cut off the bottom 2 to 3-inches of the tenderloin and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Reserve. 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. Trim of all fat and cut the chain into 1/2-inch pieces. Reserve with the tail pieces.
Wash the greens and spin dry well. If the greens are large, cut into 1-inch strips. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Add the garlic and greens and cook, stirring occasionally until the greens begin to wilt. Add the balsamic vinegar and crushed red pepper flakes. Place a cover on top of the pan and let the greens cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the tenderloin on a work surface and make a cut all the way down one side of the tenderloin, approximately 1/2-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.
Spread the wilted greens 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.
For the sauce, melt the butter in a heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add the reserved pieces of beef and cook stirring occasionally until russet brown on all sides. Do not burn these pieces. Watch them very carefully. Pour off and discard any fat that has accumulated in the pan. Reduce the heat to low. Add 3 cups veal stock to deglaze and continue to cook the veal stock, beef cubes until the veal stock has reduced substantially and is a bubbling glaze. Watch this closely. Add 3 cups additional veal stock and reduce until 1 cup of the stock remains. Continue to add the remaining 4 cups stock and simmer until the sauce coat the back of a spoon. Strain the sauce and discard the beef pieces. Place the sauce in a small saucepan.
Preheat an oven to 400°F. 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 135°F when inserted into the center 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 spoon the sauce around it.
