1 (3-1/2-pound) beef tenderloin (I have used larger sized ones.)
3 cups port or other sweet red wine
1/2 cup beef broth
4 shallots, peeled and halved
4 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
1/2 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Gorgonzola Butter (recipe follows)
Garnishes: roasted baby carrots, roasted pearl onions
Trim and tie tenderloin by securing at 2" intervals with heavy string. Place tenderloin in a large zip-top freezer bag.
Combine port and next 4 ingredients; stir well. Pour marinade over tenderloin; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning bag occasionally.
Remove tenderloin from marinade, reserving marinade. Pour liquid through a wire-mesh strainer into a bowl; reserve garlic and discard solids. Set 1 cup marinate aside.
Place tenderloin on a lightly greased broiler pan. (I sprinkle some salt on the meat before it goes into the oven.) Insert a meat thermometer into thickest portion of tenderloin. Place tenderloin in a preheated 425-degree F. oven. Immediately reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake, uncovered, for 1 hour or until thermometer registers 145 degrees (medium rare) to 160 degrees (medium) or to desired degree of doneness. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Remove string.
Combine reserved garlic and 1 cup reserved marinade in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until reduced by half. Remove and discard garlic. Stir in cranberry sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer 1 minutes. Garnish, if desired. Serve tenderloin with Cranberry-Port Reduction and Gorgonzola Butter. Yield: 12 servings.
Gorgonzola Butter
4 ounces Gorgonzola or blue cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 Tablespoon minced fresh chives
Beat cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Stir in chives. Spoon into a crock, or if desired, spoon butter mixture onto plastic wrap. Shape butter into a 1" diameter log by folding wrap over mixture and rolling. (Work quickly to keep butter from melting.) Seal plastic wrap, and chill 4 hours or until firm. Yield: About 3/4 cup.
Note: To roast the vegetables for garnish, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 450 degrees F. for 15 minutes, stirring once.
3 cups port or other sweet red wine
1/2 cup beef broth
4 shallots, peeled and halved
4 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
1/2 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Gorgonzola Butter (recipe follows)
Garnishes: roasted baby carrots, roasted pearl onions
Trim and tie tenderloin by securing at 2" intervals with heavy string. Place tenderloin in a large zip-top freezer bag.
Combine port and next 4 ingredients; stir well. Pour marinade over tenderloin; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning bag occasionally.
Remove tenderloin from marinade, reserving marinade. Pour liquid through a wire-mesh strainer into a bowl; reserve garlic and discard solids. Set 1 cup marinate aside.
Place tenderloin on a lightly greased broiler pan. (I sprinkle some salt on the meat before it goes into the oven.) Insert a meat thermometer into thickest portion of tenderloin. Place tenderloin in a preheated 425-degree F. oven. Immediately reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake, uncovered, for 1 hour or until thermometer registers 145 degrees (medium rare) to 160 degrees (medium) or to desired degree of doneness. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Remove string.
Combine reserved garlic and 1 cup reserved marinade in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until reduced by half. Remove and discard garlic. Stir in cranberry sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer 1 minutes. Garnish, if desired. Serve tenderloin with Cranberry-Port Reduction and Gorgonzola Butter. Yield: 12 servings.
Gorgonzola Butter
4 ounces Gorgonzola or blue cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 Tablespoon minced fresh chives
Beat cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Stir in chives. Spoon into a crock, or if desired, spoon butter mixture onto plastic wrap. Shape butter into a 1" diameter log by folding wrap over mixture and rolling. (Work quickly to keep butter from melting.) Seal plastic wrap, and chill 4 hours or until firm. Yield: About 3/4 cup.
Note: To roast the vegetables for garnish, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 450 degrees F. for 15 minutes, stirring once.
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