Beef Tenderloin

 Duchess Potatoes

Roasted Parsnips

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

For our family Christmas dinner last year I made beef tenderloin with gravy, duchess potatoes, roasted parsnips and roasted Brussels sprouts and onions – a very British Christmas meal.  You can’t go wrong with beef tenderloin.  After I sauteed the beef on all sides, I put it on a baking tray and roasted it in the oven at 475 for 20-25 minutes.  I made the gravy by deglazing the skillet with the beef bits with some red wine and then added some gourmet store bought demi glace that I bought up at Granville Island and cooked it down.  I also added some of the beef juices after I took the tenderloin out of the oven to let it rest.  I could have made the demi glace myself, but using a good quality homemade prepared demi glace saved me some time and I took a small cheat.  I made the duchess potatoes the day before.  You make mashed potatoes and put them through a food mill to make them very smooth and creamy and add an egg to the butter and cream mixture which makes them light and fluffy.  Before baking the potatoes, you brush them with an egg wash so they nicely brown.  I cut the Brussels sprouts and onions the day before, put them in a plastic bag and refrigerated them.  Since parsnips can brown if prepared too far in advance, I peeled and cut them shortly before I roasted them.  I just toss them separately in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper and toss them on a baking sheet to get nice and toasty brown.  Click here for the recipe….