I make this all the time - a great dish!
I usually make this with pork tenderloin and like it better with the pork. I also triple the sauce (1 cup of each liquid)we like sauce!
(Thank goodness I found this online - I was all set to type for an hour from my book :))
Julia Child’s “A Fast Sauté of Beef for Two” from “The Way To Cook”
Ingredients
The onions
6 to 8 pearl onions, about 1 inch in diameter
1/2 cup chicken stock
A pinch of fresh chopped tarragon
The potatoes
3 or 4 medium boiling potatoes
a pinch of minced fresh tarragon
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
The mushrooms
6 to 8 large fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon minced shallot or scallion
The meat
2 center-cut beef tenderloin steaks, 1 1/2 inches thick, or the equivalent cut from a piece of tenderloin
The sauce
2 tablespoons minced shallots or scallions
1/3 cup dry French vermouth
1/3 cup beef or chicken stock
1/3 cup heavy cream (or 1/2 cup stock blended with 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch)
Other ingredients
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Butter and light olive oil or peanut oil
Instructions
The onions. Drop the onions into boiling water for 1 minute. Drain. Shave skin from the tip and root ends, then slip off the remaining skins. Pierce a cross 1/4 inch deep in the root ends and slowly simmer in a covered saucepan with the stock, herbs and a little salt until tender - about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, continue with the rest of the items.
The potatoes. Peel the potatoes and cut into cubes. Dry. Set a frying pan over high heat, add one tablespoon each of butter and oil, and when the butter foam has almost subsided, add the potatoes. Sauté without disturbing for 1 minute, toss them, and leave for another minute - to sear them. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and sauté over moderate heat, tossing fairly frequently, for about 15 minutes. When lightly browned and tender, keep them just warm.
The mushrooms. Quarter them. Sauté several minutes in hot butter in a second frying pan, adding the shallots or scallions at the end, just as the absorbed butter reappears on their surface and they begin to brown.
The meat. Whether you are using steaks or a piece of tenderloin, cut off outside fat and slice the meat into 1-1/2-inch chunks. Dry them well before sautéing.
Midway point. Everything is cooking at once except for the meat, which is lying in wait. The onions are simmering away in their saucepan; the potatoes are sautéing. When the mushrooms are done, turn them into a side dish.
Sautéing the meat. Set the mushroom sauté pan over moderately high heat, adding a little butter and oil. When very hot, add the meat. Brown, tossing frequently for several minutes, until barely springy when pressed — the beef must be very rare because it gets a little more cooking later. Toss it with a sprinkling of salt, and scrape it into the dish with the mushrooms.
The sauce. Spoon all but a tablespoon of fat out of the pan, stir in the minced shallots or scallions, and sauté a moment; then pour in the wine, the stock, and any juices from the onions. Boil rapidly and let reduce almost to a syrup before adding the optional cream (or the stock/cornstarch).
Final simmering. Scrape the beef, onions, and mushrooms into the pan and bring to the simmer, basting with the sauce, just to warm the beef through without overcooking; it should be rosy rare. Taste the sauce carefully and correct seasoning.
Serving. Toss the potatoes over high heat to crisp, adding a tablespoon of butter, the herbs, and parsley. Strew the potatoes over the meat and serve.
Yield: 2 (generous) servings
Split Pea Soup with Ham
From Julia Child’s recipe in The Way to Cook
Serves 6+
Ham stock
Ham bone and scraps from a ham, or 1 or more ham hocks
@3 quarts water (or stock)
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery, chopped and celery leaves
An herb bouquet: 3 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon thyme, 5 cloves tied in cheesecloth. (who has cheesecloth? I shake in the above ingredients)
1.Stock ingredients in a large pot and simmer, with the lid askew, for 4 hours.
2. Strain the broth and discard the vegetables and ham scraps
(Can go ahead with the rest of the recipe, but I like to cook down the ham broth one day - let it rest and meld the flavors in the fridge - skim off any fat - reheat - then strain out- and go from there)
Completed Soup
3 T butter
2/3 cup diced celery
2/3 cup diced onions
1 cup diced carrots
3 T flour
2 quarts ham stock (or more)
1 1/2 cups split peas (I use the whole bag)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Garnish: diced ham and/or croutons
1. Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the celery, onions, and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the flour, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
3. Add the stock and split peas. Simmer, with the lid askew, for 45 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Use an immersion blender in the pot to blend the soup. (I like to blend it and still have some chunks left.)
5. Serve with the sautéed ham (or croutons) as a garnish.
(I just load the soup with ham pieces)