Grilled Beef Tenderloin and Blue Cheese Salad
Recently there have been recurring themes and coincidences in my life. When I look back, it seems that they began when the cooking group was cooking from the Charlie Trotter cookbook. The title is definitely deceiving; while this might be Charlie’s dumbed down recipes for the home cook, unless one has a lot of time on one’s hands and is a seasoned home cook, this is the wrong book. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed cooking from it and the group whipped up some wonderful dishes, I just wouldn’t exactly call it “home cooking”.
On the flap the book proclaims that the recipes have been “streamlined” and are “straight forward”. I found myself wondering what they were like before the streamlining. Several recipes required significant prep time, chopping, make ahead, active time and cooking time. Clearly I didn’t make the Crispy Chicken Wontons that supposedly “go from kitchen to table in a mere half hour”. I have doubts about that claim and will need to investigate further.
Despite my griping for the most part we liked the book and I for one continue cooking from it…. It’s just that now I know to make these recipes when I have time to spend in the kitchen.
One of the recipes I made was the Grilled Beef Tenderloin and Blue Cheese Salad. Wow was it tasty. I just love the flavor combinations of Blue Cheese, good balsamic vinegar and juicy filet. The weekend after I made the one for the cookbook club I was in Carmel and ordered one for dinner. The presentation was gorgeous and what a nice touch and texture the onion rings added. Clearly there is lots of room for improvisation with this salad. Here is the recipe from the cookbook. I’d encourage you to make it and let your imagination run wild.
Vinaigrette
1 shallot, minced
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped Italian Parsley
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces beef tenderloin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups baby spinach leaves
1 1/3 cups crumbled blue cheese
To prepare the vinaigrette: Place the shallot, lemon juice, chives, and parsley in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
To prepare the beef: Prepare a medium-hot grill (I used my grill pan). Season with salt and pepper and grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked to desired doneness. Cool completely and dice into ½ inch pieces. Toss with 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and season to taste with salt and pepper.
To prepare the salad: Toss the spinach with half of the remaining vinaigrette and half of the blue cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place some of the spinach in the center of each plate. Arrange the beef and the remaining blue cheese on the salad and drizzle the remaining vinaigrette around the plates. Top with freshly ground black pepper.
Serves 4
For a richer, more flavored vinaigrette, substitute balsamic vinegar for lemon juice and omit the parsley.
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