Beef Tenderloin with Pancetta and Mushroom Marsala Sauce

Fairly light, but this ain't diet food kids: it's still Beef with Pancetta and cream. That's why it tastes so good. This is pretty easy cooking, but it looks - and tastes - like hours slaving over a hot stove.

Yield:
4 servings
Category:
Beef
Cuisine:
American

INGREDIENTS:

  • For the Beef:
  • 4 portions of Beef tenderloin in one large piece (from Freybes on Hastings)
  • 1/2 pound pancetta, sliced as thin as the counter-person will slice it
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 tablespoon coarse-ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • For the Sauce:
  • 1 medium onion, sliced thin
  • 1/2 pound mixed mushrooms (whatever appeals to your palate and won't endanger your net worth), cleaned and cut into chunks
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup Marsala wine
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup canned Italian plum tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Place the tenderloin on the cutting board. Lay a row of pancetta rounds, overlapping, on the cutting board along the length of the tenderloin. Put another two behind that, and another behind that, so that there is a layer big enough to wrap the loin. (You will probably need about 9 rounds). Sprinkle the pancetta with the thyme and the black pepper. Place the tenderloin on top of the pancetta slices. Roll the loin in the pancetta, using your fingers to press the pancetta against the beef so that is is wrapped well. Your should have enough pancetta to wrap the loin all the way around; the pancetta pieces will stick to one another as they wrap around. If this is not happening for you, tie the whole thing around with butcher's string.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat until it is smoking. Add the pancetta-wrapped tenderloin and cook, rotating and turning periodically, until the meat is browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.
  4. Remove the meat to a roasting rack and place it in the oven on the middle rack. Roast the tenderloins 12 to 14 minute for medium rare, longer if you prefer. Remove the meat and let it rest for 10 minutes.
  5. Make the sauce
    Return the saute pan, with the reserved juices to the stove over medium heat. Add the onions and stir to coat them in the fat. Allow the onions to caramelize abit, about 2 1/2 minutes.
  6. Add the mushrooms anda turn the heat to high. Add the olive oil. Continue cooking for another 2 1/2 minutes. Add the marsala wine and mix well. Add 1/4 cup of water, the heafy cream, tomatoes, thyme leaves, salt and pepper, and continue cooking until everything has combined and the sauce has reduced to a thick consistency, about 10 minutes more. Remove the pan from the heat, and add the parsley.
  7. Slice the meat into rounds and remove to a serving platter. Pour the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve immediately.

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This recipe can be found online at: lemonzest.ca/Home/Recipes/1995