Tenderloin of Beef Atlantis

Tenderloin of Beef Atlantis

The quantities listed in the recipe below are appropriate for a 32-40 oz. section of beef tenderloin serving 2-4 people; adjust these quantities according to the actual weight/number of servings in your preparation.

So hold onto your spice grinder, open the spice cabinet and toss in the following:

The contents of 5 medium sized cardamom pods
4 cloves garlic (whole)
8 whole allspice (Jamaican pepper) berries
1 small cinnamon stick
1/8 tsp. cumin seed
1 /4 tsp. whole coriander seed
1 /4 teaspoon of salt
8 white peppercorns
8 black peppercorns
a pinch of whole mustard seed
a pinch of whole fenugreek
1 bottle C.G. Di Arie Syrah, Gallery Collection
Mill spices to a powder and separately peel and mash 1/4 of a head of garlic with juice of 1/2 a lemon. Combine the powdered spices with the mashed garlic/lemon then using your hands, massage the mixture thoroughly into and over the entire outside of the Tenderloin. Wrap it tightly in plastic and return to the fridge overnight.

The following morning whisk several ounces of unflavored organic yogurt to a smooth consistency and add just a touch of dry sherry and/or a bit of honey to taste. Bathe the dry-marinated Tenderloin in the yogurt and wrap it again, allowing the yogurt to merge with the spice rub, penetrating the outer surface of the Beef. It may now be returned to the fridge until cooking or better, left to return to room temperature while the yogurt does its job.

To cook the tenderloin, bring your grill to full heat and then return the flame to its lowest possible setting. If your grill remains quite hot, place the Tenderloin on the top rack rather than the lower one in order that it may cook very slowly, turning it as necessary to brown the yogurt all around and allowing the heat to penetrate the meat, but not sear it.

Prepared this way the Tenderloin will cook more uniformly than at high heat. If you wish to serve it medium rare as I suggest, you must watch it very carefully as the outside begins to brown and darken; this is your indication that the inside has come to temperature (120 degrees) and that the Tenderloin is ready to be removed from the grill.
A prod of the finger should tell you when the beef is cooked to your liking; or you may consult an instant thermometer if you prefer. When done, wrap the strip
in aluminum foil and set it aside for a few minutes.

While the beef is cooking, pour 1/2 bottle of the Syrah into a saucepan and bring it slowly to a simmer, reducing it to just several tablespoons of essence. This simple wine-reduction makes a very nice sauce for the beef, but if you are really ambitious and desire a richer sauce, add 1/2 tsp. of pink peppercorns and at the finish, 2 Tbsp of heavy cream.

To serve, warm the plates well and place 1 Tbsp. of the reduced Syrah or sauce on each of them. Slice the Tenderloin into medallions of 1/2 to 1/4 inches or so, as desired, and place several on each plate amidst the pool of sauce. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Serve this dish with vegetable skewers on a bed of saffron rice and augment the plate with a mélange of tropical root chips from taro, sweet potato, cassava and plantain (available in chip section of your local grocery store).

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