Our Christmas Dinner...

This is what I am making for our 
Christmas Dinner 2014!
  

I made this recipe for Tenderloin Roast a while back, and we LOVED it!!  I was SO excited when I found it in a stash of old recipes-- I can't wait to taste it again! 

Beef Tenderloin Roast

with Roasted Shallots and Port Wine Sauce

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 lb. shallots, halved and peeled
1 1/2-2 tbsp. olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 cups Beef Stock (I like Kitchen Basics)
3/4 cup Port Wine
1 1/2 tsp. tomato paste
2 lbs. Beef Tenderloin Roast, trimmed
1 tsp. dried Thyme
3 sliced bacon, diced
3 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour

INSTRUCTIONS:
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium size baking pan, toss shallots with oil to coat.

Roast shallots until deep brown and very tender, about 30 minutes.

In a large saucepan, combine beef broth and Port Wine.  Bring to a boil.

Cook over HIGH heat until volume has reduced by half, about 30 minutes.

Whisk in tomato paste, set aside.

Sprinkle Tenderloin Roast with thyme, salt and pepper.  

In a large roasting pan/dutch oven (that can go into the oven) over medium heat on stovetop, sauté bacon until crisp.  With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel to drain.  Leave bacon fat in pan.

Add the Tenderloin Roast to the pan and brown on all sides over medium-high heat, about 7-8 minutes.

Transfer pan to oven and roast the beef until meat thermometer inserted into the center of the roast reads:

125 degrees for medium rare
135 degrees for medium
(Test the center of the roast in multiple places.)
  
Transfer beef to a large serving platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil--When removed from the oven, the roast will continue to cook and the temperature will rise an additional 5 degrees.

Remove excess fat from the drippings in the roasting pan.  Place on stovetop over high heat, add broth/port mixture and bring to a boil.  Stir and scrape bottom of pan to include browned bits.  

Transfer the mixture to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer.

Mix 1 1/2 tbsp. butter and flour in a small bowl to make a paste.  Whisk into the broth mixture, simmer until sauce thickens.

Whisk in remaining 1 1/2 tbsp. butter, then stir in shallots and bacon.  Season with salt & pepper.

Cut Tenderloin Roast into slices and spoon sauce over top.  (4, 1/2 lb. servings)

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. Brussels Sprouts

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

Cut stems off of Brussel Sprouts and cut in half.  (Discard stems, SAVE any leaves that fall off.)

Put Brussel Sprouts and leaves on a baking sheet.

Drizzle with a small amount of Olive Oil (just enough to coat each piece) and toss to coat.

Sprinkle with salt & pepper.

Roast approximately 1/2 hour, or until browned and tender.

Of course, I will be making homemade dinner rolls too!  Dessert has not yet been decided!

UPDATE:  The meat market didn't have a 2 lb. tenderloin roast (even though I called before I went and they said they did!) So, I used 8 oz. filet mignon steaks--which worked PERFECTLY!  I seared them over high heat for 3 minutes per side then finished them in the oven until they were at the correct temperature.  

The sauce for this is AMAZING!!  I used Hardy's Whiskers Blake Classic Tawny Port.