Charlie and Zoe's Beef Tenderloin and Pimm's

Charlie and Zoe were the chefs of the night!

Charlie left rainy UK to arrive during the only precipitation of the summer in Ontario (meanwhile it had turned to 30° and sunny in London!).   However, Charlie spread his own special sunshine here at the cottage.  Halfway through his vacation, Charlie’s friend Zoe joined us by way of South Korea, and the two of them treated us to a beautiful meal.  It started with Pimm's Cocktails, and featured Smoked Beef Tenderloin with Mustard Sauce, roasted potatoes and braised kale from our garden, roasted cauliflower, and a delicious Slow Roasted Cherry Tomato and Avocado Salad.

 



Pimm’s Cocktails

1 ounce Pimm’s

1 ounce gin

Chilled lemonade (Sprite in Canada-speak)

Cucumber spears, sliced strawberries and mint, for garnish

Pour Pimm’s and Gin into a glass filled with plenty of ice.  Add the Sprite and garnishes.  Repeat. 

 


Smoked Beef Tenderloin

 

1 whole beef tenderloin, trimmed

1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Dash ground cloves

Freshly ground black pepper

 2 cups Mesquite wood chips

Combine the spices in a small bowl and rub them all over the tenderloin.  Let the beef come to room temperature for ½ hour while lighting the Broil King Keg.  Meanwhile, soak the wood chips in water.

Once the coals are lit, drain the wood chips and scatter them over the coals, then place the tenderloin on the grids and close the lid.  Position the upper and lower vents to maintain a temperature of about 350, probably 2 ½ and 3 respectively.    

Rotate the tenderloin every 10-15 minutes for a total cooking time of 30-45 minutes, depending on the circumference.  Test with a meat thermometer, and take it off when it is just below your desired endpoint temperature.  Cover with foil and a kitchen towel and let it rest for 10 minutes.  The temperature will continue to rise.  Slice thickly and serve with mustard sauce.

Mustard Sauce

2 small shallots, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

½ cup butter

Juice of 1 large lemon

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Heat a small skillet on LOW and add a small amount of the butter.  Add the prepared shallots and garlic, and sauté until translucent and very fragrant.  Add the remaining butter, lemon juice and mustard and whisked until melted and combined.  Serve warm.

Slow Roasted Cherry Tomato and Avocado Salad

1 quart slow roasted cherry tomatoes, see directions below

2 firm-ripe avocadoes, cubed

1 large ball buffalo mozzarella, cubed

4 green onions, thinly sliced

Handful fresh basil, finely chopped

8 cups fresh baby greens and arugula

For the Vinaigrette:

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ cup olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the tomatoes:

1 quart assorted cherry tomatoes, halved

1 teaspoon Maldon salt

Pinch sugar

1  teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 375°.  Arrange the tomatoes cut side up on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt, sugar and thyme, then drizzle with olive oil.  Place them in the oven, turn off the heat and leave them in the oven for 6 hours or overnight.

Arrange the greens and other vegetables in a salad bowl.  Pour the dressing ingredients into a tightly sealed glass jar and shake well to combine.  Dip a salad leaf into the dressing to taste and adjust seasonings.  Pour over the salad and toss well.  

One last bit of fun wake surfing before heading back to the UK.

Beef Tenderloin with Chipotle Chili Rub and Zesty Chimichurri Sauce

We recently spent a weekend in London Ontario at Samantha’s house, where we hosted a little dinner party with some old friends.  It was such fun reconnecting with them in their beautiful city.
We put together a classic make ahead menu, centred around a grilled beef tenderloin, that we rubbed with a chipotle spice mix a day ahead of time, served with a chimmichurri sauce, full of fresh herbs, that we also made ahead. That left us with a few simple tasks the day of the party: preparing a few vegetables for the grill, including the sweet potato recipe below and buying a dessert. A word about the appetizer -Ginny's Cheese and Bacon Bites.  They may seem like a "cheeesy" blast from the past dish, but believe us, they are a real crowd-pleaser and impossible to resist after you have tried one!!

Ginny’s Cheese and Bacon Bites

These are not the most healthy choice, but a few of these tasty morsels every so often is a nostalgic treat.

6 strips bacon, cooked until very crispy, and crumbled

2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

3 green onions, minced

½ cup Hellman’s mayonnaise

Dash tobasco sauce

Soft sliced bread, crusts removed

Mix the prepared bacon, cheese, onions, mayonnaise and tobasco sauce in a medium bowl.  Spread the mixture on bread slices, then cut each slice into bite sized pieces (about 6 per slice).  Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350° for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly and bottoms are slightly browned and crisp.

Beef Tenderloin

1 whole beef tenderloin

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground chipotle chilies

½ teaspoon mustard powder

Olive oil

Up to one day ahead, combine all the rub ingredients in a small bowl and mix well with a fork.  Pat dry the tenderloin, and rub the spice mixture all over the meat.  Cover tightly and refrigerate until 45 minutes before cooking.

Remove from the fridge and pat the tenderloin with paper towels to remove any excess juices that have accumulated.  Brush all over with olive oil to prevent sticking to the grill.

Follow the directions for grilling Beef Tenderloin, using our fool-proof 20/20/20 method!

Chimichurri Sauce

Handful of each:  parsley, cilantro, and mint, washed and thoroughly dried (about 1 cup of each)

2 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped

½ jalapeno pepper, coarsely chopped

Juice of 1 ½ limes

¼ cup olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon kosher salt

In the bowl of a food processor, chop the herbs, garlic, pepper and lime juice.  Add the oil while the motor is running and season with cumin and kosher salt, to taste.

Can be prepare 2 days ahead, covered tightly and refrigerated.  Serve at room temperature.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Sautéed Apples

3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large tart apple, peeled and cut into 16 wedges.  Halve each wedge.

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon maple syrup

2 tablespoons white wine

1-2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves

In a large bowl, toss sweet potatoes, olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper.  Place them on a preheated grill on LOW, and cook until browned and tender.  Meanwhile, heat the butter in a sauté pan until hot and beginning to brown.  Add the apples in a single layer and brown both sides.  Drizzle with maple syrup and white wine.  Cook until the liquid is almost evaporated and sprinkle with sage leaves.  Toss both the grilled sweet potatoes and sautéed apples back into the large bowl and mix gently.  Serve hot.

 On another note:

 GO RANGERS GO!!






It was an exciting game last night, with the Kitchener Rangers besting the Plymouth Whalers with a 4-2 victory. This hard fought win put them into game 7 of the Western Conference semi-final series.  Good luck in Game 7!