Subject: Tournedos Rossini
From: Unicorn (unicorn@indenial.com)
Date: Thu Mar 22 2001 - 10:45:28 EST
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F O O D F U N N Y
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Here's a true one from reader "Vidadog":
My friend Suzanne chaperoned a group of high school students on a tour
to London. The students were from small towns in the south and
obviously had little experience beyond their local fast food joints.
One evening, a hostess boarded the bus to take orders for dinner. The
choices were a vegetable plate or shepherd's pie. Suzanne overheard
one of the girls commenting to another, "I guess I'll have to take the
vegetable plate. I'm not eating anything with a shepherd in it!"
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T O D A Y ' S R E C I P E
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This dish was created by Georges Auguste Escoffier, arguably the
greatest French chef of all time. He invented many dishes, and was
prone to naming them for famous patrons of his restaurant. Both
Peaches Melba and Melba toast were named for Australian soprano Nellie
Melba, and this dish was named for the great Italian composer Rossini,
who was particularly fond of foie gras. Another of his satisfied
customers, Emperor William II declared, "I am the Emperor of Germany,
but you are the Emperor of chefs."
Some of the ingredients for this dish will be difficult to find, and
many of them are very expensive, but if you invest the money and
effort, you will be rewarded with a dish by "the King of Chefs and the
Chef of Kings."
Tournedos Rossini
3/4 cup (180 ml) dry Madeira
2 Tbs (30 ml) truffle juice*
2 cups (500 ml) beef stock
1 Tbs (15 ml) arrowroot (cornstarch may be substituted)
mixed with 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
6 Tbs (90) ml) butter
4 slices white bread, cut into rounds about 3 inches
(7 cm) in diameter
4 six-ounce (170 g) beef tenderloin steaks (tournedos),
about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) thick
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 round slices canned foie gras, about 1/4 inch (5 mm)
thick and 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter
4 round slices of black truffle, about 1/8 inch (2 mm)
thick and 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter
2 Tbs (30 ml) chilled butter, cut into pieces
* The liquid the truffles are packed in.
Combine 1/2 cup (125 ml) of the Madeira, the beef stock, and the
truffle juice in a small saucepan and boil over moderate heat until
reduced by half. Stir in the arrowroot mixture and simmer, stirring
constantly, until the sauce is slightly thickened. Set aside.
Heat 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the butter in a large, heavy skillet
over moderate heat and fry the bread rounds until golden brown on both
sides. Drain on paper towels and place on a heated serving platter.
In the same skillet, melt 3 tablespoon (45 ml) butter, season the
tournedos with salt and pepper, and saute for 3 to 4 minutes on each
side, until done to the degree you prefer. Place the tournedos on top
of the toast rounds. Saute the foie gras for about 10 seconds on each
side and place on top of the tournedos. Place the truffle slices on
top of the foie gras. Add the remaining Madeira to the skillet and
scrape the brown bits from the bottom and sides of the pan. Add the
reserved sauce and cook until the sauce is heated through. Stir in
the pieces of chilled butter and season with salt and pepper. Pour
over the tournedos and serve immediately. Serves 4.
Adapted from "Classic French Cooking" by Craig Claiborne and Pierre
Franey, Foods of the World series, Time-Life Books, 1970.
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