Sunday, January 27, 2013

Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding and Bearnaise Sauce with Garlic Rosemary Smashed Potatoes



Every Sunday I ask my husband what he wants to eat and every week he says roast beef. Ugh. I hate roast beef. First of all, it's boring. Second of all, my dad use to make me eat it all the time and it was always overdone and dry and I just can't seem to get over it no matter how many times I've had good roast beef. 

But I got over myself and found a recipe in the LCBO Food & Drink. F&D is a magazine funded by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. Yup the government controls our liquor consumption. I'd complain, but they also put out this unbelievable magazine for FREE with the incredible recipes created by some of Canada's best culinary personalities. 

This has been one of the better recipes I've made. There have been a few that have been sort of blah, this is not one of them. I will definitely make the potatoes again. For a lesser main, the side could have taken over the plate, but not this beef. It was amazing. And the bearnaise sauce just took it over the edge.

I used this recipe for the roast beef and this recipe from Canadian Living magazine for the smashed potatoes.

First Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding and Bearnaise Sauce:


In order to have all elements of this dish come together at the same time it’s best to prepare a mise en place, French for having everything “put in its place.” It simply means to have all the ingredients washed, cut and measured before beginning the recipe.



2 eggs (for Yorkshire puddings)
1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour, sifted
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
¾ cup (175 mL) milk
1/3 cup (80 mL) water (at room temperature)
1½ lbs (750 g) beef tenderloin
Salt and freshly ground pepper
¼ cup (60 mL) vegetable oil
3 tbsp (45 mL) white wine vinegar
1 egg yolk (for Béarnaise Sauce)
2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh tarragon, finely chopped
½ cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, melted
6 cups (1.5 L) arugula, washed and dried


1 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

2 To prepare Yorkshire pudding batter, in a medium bowl whisk together eggs, flour, salt and milk. Once combined, whisk in water until smooth. Pour batter into a measuring jug or pitcher, set aside.

3 Season beef generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. In an ovenproof pan heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Sear beef in oil until well browned, about 4 minutes per side.

4 Place beef in oven and cook to desired doneness. Medium-rare is achieved when a meat thermometer reads 135°F (57°C), about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove meat from oven, cover with foil and let rest.




5 Increase oven heat to 450°F (230°C).

6 Using a 12-cup muffin tin place just under 1 tsp (5 mL) of remaining vegetable oil into each hole. Place muffin tin in oven and heat for 3 minutes. Carefully remove hot pan from oven and divide pudding batter equally between each hole. Place back in oven and bake until puffed and lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

7 To make Béarnaise sauce, in a small saucepan boil vinegar to reduce by half. Let cool slightly and place in medium bowl with egg yolk, tarragon, a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper.

8 In same saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, skim off any foam with a teaspoon and pour melted butter into a measuring cup, leaving the solids behind in the pan. Slowly whisk clarified butter into egg yolk mixture 1 tbsp (15 mL) at a time; continue to whisk in all the butter until the sauce has thickened. Set aside.

9 Slice beef very thinly so that it is pliable and roll into “rosettes.” Tear an opening into each of the puddings and fill each with beef, allowing each to overflow from the opening. Divide arugula between 6 plates, top each with 2 puddings and generously drizzle Béarnaise sauce.


Serves 6


TIP Another option for a classic condiment for this dish is horseradish cream. Stir together ½ cup (125 mL) mayonnaise, desired amount of horseradish, a dash of Worcestershire sauce and freshly ground pepper.

Next Garlic Rosemary Smashed Potatoes with Garlic Rosemary Smashed Potatoes:

Everyone loves a good roasted potato, and this recipe does not disappoint. Boiling them ahead saves time the next day. Use the bottom of a skillet to gently flatten several potatoes at a time. These potatoes are just as delicious whole, so if you're looking for something more traditional, omit the flattening step. 

Ingredients 
3 lb (1.4 kg) small (1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inches/3 to 4 cm) yellow potatoes or white potatoes, scrubbed 
1/4 cup (60 mL) olive oil 
1 tsp (5 mL) chopped fresh rosemary 
1 clove garlic, pressed or grated 
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt 
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper 
Preparation

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook potatoes until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours; add 15 minutes to baking time.) 

Lay foil on a baking tray and gently flatten potatoes just until split. Combine oil, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper; brush over both sides of potatoes. 

Bake on foil-lined baking sheet in 400°F (200°C) oven, turning potatoes halfway through, until crisp and warmed through, about 30 minutes.




Funday Tips

1. This past week while browning short ribs for another meal I set off the smoke alarms. I Googled it and learned that it was because I used olive oil which has a low smoke point. This recipe calls for vegetable oil which worked far better for my sleeping baby.

2. The smashed potatoes recipe didn't mention the foil until after the smashing directions. I know I'm suppose to read recipes first, but sometimes when they seem easy I just work as I read. Lesson learned for the 800th time. Anyhow, I fixed the adaptation above.

3. I put the potatoes in when I turned the oven up to 450 for the Yorkshire puddings, and because they were in at a higher temperature I did them for 20 mins, 10 mins per side. They came out perfect.

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