Tenderloin of Beef with Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette

Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
2 cloves of garlic, minced or garlic press
1/2 cup roasted red pepper, very small diced
1 cup small grape tomatoes, cut into slices
2 tablespoons chives, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, finely chopped
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Pinch of crushed red pepper
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper –too taste

Procedures:
In a mixing bowl or plate add the garlic, roasted red pepper, grape tomatoes, chives and Italian parsley.
Fold in the olive oil, vinegar and crushed red pepper. Add the kosher salt and black pepper and taste.

Bleu Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups crumbled creamy blue cheese (such as Kings Choice Bleu from Denmark about 8 ounces)
1/2 cup (or more) whole milk                                                                                                                              kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedures:                                                                                                                                                      Cook potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well. Return potatoes to pot. Add cheese and 1/2 cup milk and mash until almost smooth, adding more milk by tablespoonfuls for desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 8 hours ahead; cover and chill. Re-warm covered with plastic wrap in microwave, stirring occasionally and adding more milk, if desired.)

Seared Tenderloin of Beef

Ingredients:
1 pound  of whole beef tenderloin, cut length wise                                                                                                                                                                Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper                                                                                                                                                                    2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme finely diced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely diced

Procedures:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pat the tenderloin dry with paper towels and sprinkle all sides with a generous amount of salt and pepper – you should see the seasoning on the meat. Place a large skillet or roasting pan over medium-high flame, drizzle with the oil, and just when it begins to smoke lay the tenderloin in the hot pan. Brown on all sides until a crust forms and the meat is well-seared, about 7 minutes total. Toss the fresh thyme and rosemary on top of the tenderloin and transfer the whole thing to the oven; roast for 15 to 20 minutes for medium-rare or a internal temperature of 130F.  Remove the tenderloin to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Assembly:
In a martini glass, place a small scoop of warm bleu cheese mashed potatoes and then thinly slice a small piece of tenderloin and place on top of mashed potatoes. Drizzle a tablespoon of vinaigrette over the beef. Note: Make sure to stir the vinaigrette to incorporate all of the flavors before placing on the beef. Serve immediately.