As an anniversary and Sunday dinner Châteaubriand will do perfectly. The cut is from the middle part of the beef tenderloin, a small roast.

As with many old recipes there are disagreements on how to serve it and even when and with what sauce. If you cut the roast in steaks, many will tell you it is not Châteaubriand but tenderloin. We will stick to the roast here (not that it really matters ), what I will tell you about is how to make a roast of the chateaubriand cut and not with the most often served sauce; the bearnaise but with Châteaubriand sauce; a recipe from my great grand-mother.

The meal is simple yet elegant.

You may want to save this recipe for Valentine’s day.
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So here we go:

• 1 Chateaubriand roast (there will be enough for 2 persons and there will possible be leftovers)
• Olive Oil
• Pepper, grounded (I prefer the pink but whatever you prefere will be fine)

1. Preheat the oven to 445F, 230C, gas mark 8, with the oven pan inside.
2. Brush the meat with the olive oil
3. Sprinkle the pepper
4. Put a large frying pan on the stove over a medium/high heat, allow the pan to be very hot
5. Add the beef fillet to the pan and quickly sear on one side, and then the other. (this should only take 1 minute or 2)
6. Now transfer the roast to the preheated oven pan on the middle shelf and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, use a ther
7. An internal temperature of 54°C (130°F), which, after a short rest, would produce a medium-rare châteaubriand.

Tip: If your frying pan can go inside the oven – just put the pan inside the preheated oven.
Châteaubriand Sauce (sauce chateaubriand)

• 30 g (1 oz) shalottes, finely chopped
• 30 (1 oz) mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1½ dl (3/4 cup) white wine
• 250 veil stock
• 125 g unsalted butter (Beurre MaŒtre d’Hotel)
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
  salt & grounded pepper

1. Add the shallotes, thyme, bay leafes, mushrooms and white wine to a saucepan.
2. When the wine is almost reduced you add the veil stock
3. Let it cook until reduced to 125 g (4 oz)
4. Remove the sauce pan from the stove
5. Strain the sauce
6. Add the butter bit by bit while you whisk
7. Add the terragon.

Serve and enjoy

This sauce recipe may origin from A. Escoffier, Le “Guide Culinaire” from 1903, not sure though.

Escoffier: The Complete Guide to the Art of Modern Cookery