Christmas Eve Beef Tenderloin

This has been on the menu at McGuire family Christmas Eve ever since I was at the kids table.

Peppered Beef Tenderloin with Mustard and Horseradish Sauce

Sauce:
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

BEEF:
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
2 teaspoons whole white peppercorns
2 teaspoons whole green peppercorns
2 teaspoons coarse salt
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, room temperature
1 cup loosely packed fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 2-pound beef tenderloin, trimmed
Additional fresh parsley

Preparation

For Sauce: Whisk all ingredients in small bowl. Cover and refrigerate sauce until ready to serve. (Sauce can be prepared 2 days ahead.)

For Beef: Coarsely grind all peppercorns in spice grinder or blender. Transfer peppercorns to bowl. Mix in salt. Whisk mustard, butter and 1 cup chopped parsley in medium bowl to blend. Rub all over tenderloin. Roll tenderloin in peppercorn mixture, coating completely (can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place tenderloin on rack set in shallow baking pan. Roast until meat thermometer inserted into center registers 130F for rare, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer roast to platter. Let stand for 10 minutes. Cut roast into slices. Arrange on platter. Surround with parsley. Serve with sauce.

Winter Storm Warning = Beef and Barley Soup for Dinner

When the first winter storm advisory went out for our area on Tuesday morning I became determined to make this recipe. Even if it meant waiting in my car outside of the local liquor store at 8:50 am.

The recipe comes from The Best Make Ahead Recipe from the editors of Cook's Illustrated, another cookbook that I frequently check out of the library but never get around to making anything from. I cooked my soup on high for about 5 1/2 hours and it was perfect. My only regret is that I spent up and bought the chuck steak when I should have just bought the chuck roast for a dollar a pound less. I just am not very confident in my meat substitutions. Kind of like my yarn substitutions, right Sarah?

Beef and Barley Soup in the Crock Pot

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 medium onions, minced
2 carrots, chopped medium
1/4 cup tomato paste
Salt
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 pounds blade steak, aka as chuck state in these parts, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, pureed with their juice until smooth in a blender for food processor
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup pearled barley
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the onions, carrots, tomato paste and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until the vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the wine, scraping up any browned bits.

Transfer the vegetable mixture into the slow cooker insert and stir in the meat, pureed tomatoes, broths, soy sauce, barley and thyme until evenly combined. Cover and cook on low until the meat is tender, 9 to 11 hours. (Alternatively, cover and cook on high for 5 to 7 hours.)

Gently tilt the slow cooker insert and degrease as much fat as possible off the surface of the soup using a large flat spoon. Stir in the parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.