Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Rosemary and Fennel

Fall seems to have left us for while, and we have jumped right into winter.  It started over the weekend, and it is still here.  Our temperatures outside have been in the low 20’s, and we have had two days of snow.  The good thing about the Colorado snow, however, is that it does not last very long, and as soon as the sun comes out, the snow starts to melt off, unlike other parts of the US where the snow stays around for months and months.  But it is still very cold outside.  And when it is cold outside, the best thing to do is stay warm inside.  That can easily be done by having the oven on for some good baking and roasting.  That is exactly what I did too.  I roasted beef tenderloin with rosemary and fennel, along with some roasted vegetables and roasted sweet potatoes mixed with maple syrup and pecans.

The view of the first lake from our deck.  When the weather outside is frightful, make the most of it and enjoy the warmth from inside with some good wine and delicious foods from the oven.

 

Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Rosemary and Fennel

1-2 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP fresh rosemary

1 1/2 tsp fennel

salt & pepper to taste

1 beef tenderloin 4-5 lbs

Blend all the ingredients together in the food processor and generously coat the beef tenderloin.  Let it sit uncovered or loosely covered in the refrigerator for anywhere from 24-36 hours.

When you are ready to roast the meat, take the meat out of the refrigerator cover and let set at room temperature for about 30 minutes before putting it into the hot oven.  Preheat the oven to 375* F if using a regular oven and 350* F is using a convection oven.  Roast for at least 40-50 minutes for a rare meat, where the thermometer inserted in the center reads 120* F, and longer depending on your desired doneness.  For me, medium rare is just perfect, and the thermometer should read between 125-130* F when inserted into the thickest part of the meat.   Cook the meat to your preferred level of doneness, just keep in mind, the longer you cook the meat, the more dried out and tough it will become.

While I had the oven on, I also roasted some mixed vegetables with garlic, salt & pepper and olive oil, as well as some sweet potatoes mixed with pecans, brown sugar, butter, fresh sage and maple syrup.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Pecans and Maple Syrup

1-2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

1/3 cup chopped pecans

1 TBSP brown sugar

3-4 TBSP butter melted

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 tsp fresh sage, chiffonade into thin strips

salt & pepper to taste

 

Sprinkle all the ingredients evenly over the sweet potatoes and roast at 350* F for about 30 minutes, or until he sweet potatoes are tender and slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally.

I also made a mustard cream sauce for the meat.  All I needed was a few simple ingredients to make this tasty sauce.   In addition to these simple ingredients, I also added some black pepper, parsley and butter to finish the sauce.

Mustard Cream Sauce

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

2 TBSP Dijon mustard

2 tsp lemon juice

salt & pepper to taste

2 TBSP butter

parsley

In a hot skillet, add the heavy whipping cream and Dijon mustard and mix well.  Then add the lemon juice and salt & pepper.  Cook it down for about 5-7 minutes, at a medium/low temperature, stirring frequently, then add the butter right at the end.  Finish with parsley and serve over the roasted beef tenderloin (optional).

 

Nicodemus was Mommy’s little helper today, making sure Mommy made everything just right.

Just the results Nicodemus and Mommy were looking for.  To complete the meal, I served it with a robust, fruity, smooth red blend.  A perfect meal for a cold wintery day.