Beef Tenderloin In Cherry Sauce

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 (16 ounce) can pitted dark sweet cherries in juice
• 1/4 cup ruby port
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 teaspoon drained bottled horseradish
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorn
• 1 teaspoon arrowroot or 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon mild olive oil
• 4 (6 ounce) beef tenderloin steaks
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup kirsch (cherry brandy)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon grenadine

Recipe

• 1 drain the cherry juice into a large saucepan and set the cherries aside.
• 2 add the port, beef broth, horseradish, tomato paste, shallot, bay leaf, and peppercorns.
• 3 bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the mixture is reduced to about 2/3 cup, 12 to 15 minutes.
• 4 dissolve the arrowroot in 1 teaspoon water and stir into the sauce.
• 5 simmer until the sauce is shiny and slightly thickened, 1 minute longer.
• 6 strain, cover, and set aside (this can be prepared a few hours ahead if you refrigerate the sauce, bring it to room temperature before proceeding.)
• 7 heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat.
• 8 sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper and add them to the hot oil.
• 9 brown the steaks on both sides and cook until medium-rare (about 6 minutes total) or to your liking.
• 10 transfer the steaks to a large platter.
• 11 add the cherries and kirsch to the skillet and flambé. when the flames die out, reduce the heat to low and add the cherry sauce. with a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
• 12 stir in the butter and grenadine syrup, the sauce should be bright red.
• 13 cook until the beef is heated through, about 2 minutes longer.
• 14 season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper, if necessary.
• 15 transfer the beef tenderloin steaks to warmed dinner plates.
• 16 spoon the cherry sauce over them and serve at once.