Introduction
It is Sunday and we have 1.8 kg (4 lb) of tenderloin bought on sale, which means at least three dinners.
After trimming and splitting it into parts, we keep one large piece for beef Wellington and one filet mignon piece for a later fancy recipe that needs very fine cuts. But today we have solid steak pieces for the fantastic dish called Biffsnadder.
This probably brings back 1980s dinner memories with pearl onions, potatoes, ketchup, and béarnaise (the old-school pronunciation still applies). The name is not pretty, but the food delivers. We start with red pepper, mushrooms, and onion, then lift everything with truffle salt and smoked paprika for a properly decadent touch.
What fits better than a true Bordeaux Supérieur while the beef is in the pan.
Step-by-step
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 800 g beef tenderloin (1.76 lb), cut into pieces about 3 x 4 cm (1.2 x 1.6 in)
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 250 g mushrooms (9 oz), sliced
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 20 g butter (1.5 tbsp)
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tsp truffle salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper
- 800 g small almond potatoes (1.76 lb)
- Béarnaise sauce and ketchup, for serving
- 15 g curly parsley (0.5 oz), roughly chopped
Method
- Boil the almond potatoes in lightly salted water until tender, drain, and let them steam dry. Pan-fry them whole in butter and sugar over medium heat until glossy and caramelized. Keep warm.
- Heat a large pan over high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper, sear quickly in oil and a little butter to build crust, then set aside to rest.
- Lower heat to medium-high. Add pepper, mushrooms, and onion to the same pan and cook until softened with some color.
- Season vegetables with truffle salt and smoked paprika. Fold the beef back in for 1 minute so everything is hot and juicy.
- Finish with curly parsley and serve with the caramelized potatoes, béarnaise, and ketchup.
Serving note
- Wine match: Ch. Recougne Bordeaux Supérieur 2021 works because medium body matches the dish weight, fresh acidity cuts through butter and béarnaise, and moderate tannin handles the beef crust without turning harsh.
- For stronger 1980s nostalgia, add a spoonful of pearl onions at the table.
- The final touch is curly parsley, and if the steak pieces look like hearts, dinner has done its job.
