Having a Party? Try this...

I'm hosting my critique groups annual holiday party this year, and while I'd planned to take the easy way out, heading to Costco for a variety of tasty savories, this just popped in my Reeder. I think I'm going to have to try this as a main course for my girls.

WHOLE ROASTED BEEF TENDERLOIN WITH RED WINE BUTTER SAUCE

Recipe from Avec Eric: A Culinary Journey with Eric Ripert by Eric Ripert, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Says Ripert of this dish, "This is a beautiful recipe to prepare for a special occasion or dinner party. The butter sauce, made with red wine and shallots, is very Old World but never fails to elevate this exquisite cut of beef." He suggests serving it with herb-roasted fingerling potatoes and broccoli rabe sautéed with butter and garlic, recipes for which can also be found in Avec Eric.

• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 5-pound whole beef tenderloin, trimmed
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 12 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.

2. Boil the red wine, vinegar, shallot, peppercorns and thyme in a saucepan over high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 10 minutes. Set the wine reduction aside.

3. Generously season the tenderloin on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large roasting pan over high heat. Carefully add the tenderloin to the roasting pan, then transfer the pan to the oven and roast the tenderloin, turning every 5 minutes, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 120° F for medium-rare.

4. While the tenderloin is roasting, finish the sauce by gradually whisking the cold butter into the warm sauce until it is fully emulsified. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper; keep warm.

5. Remove the roasted tenderloin from the oven and let it rest for at least 5 minutes (the meat will continue cooking at this time). Transfer the rested tenderloin to a cutting board and slice it crosswise. Arrange the sliced tenderloin on a large platter. Pour any of the juices from the roasting pan into the butter sauce and serve immediately with the tenderloin.

Serves 6 to 8.

The whole article can be seen at Wine Spectator, including a great list of wines to pair this dish with. I would suggest the Casa Lapastolle, myself...

On a totally different but no less divine note, apparently it's going to snow in Nashville tomorrow night. As always, I'll believe it when I see it. But it would be a lovely capper to a hard week's work.

WHERE ALL THE DEAD LIE has been sent to my beta readers for comment, which means I should be delivering to New York early next week. I wrote a bunch about it for Murderati today. You can read an exhaustive look at the last eight days here, but suffice it to say, I am grateful that my Muse finally decided to descend from on high and bless me. Here's her picture:

One of the songs from the WHERE ALL THE DEAD LIE soundtrack is stuck in my head. It's a great song, by The Pretty Reckless, fittingly led by a chick named Taylor. Check it out here.

I hope your weekend is filled with blessings - and SNOW!