Piedmont-style Beef Tenderloin

Piedmont-style beef are tenderloin cooked to near falling apart in a rich sauce. I am making this dish tonight because of its ease and elegance for the holiday. It will be served with a Mushroom Risotto, salad, and fresh dinner rolls.

Ingredients:

4 Beef Tenderloin Steaks

2 T Olive Oil

2 T Flour

Salt

Pepper

2 Slices Bacon, Finely Chopped, Uncooked

2 Cloves Garlic, Crushed

1/3 C Yellow Onion, Finely Diced

1 Pint Tomatoes with Juice, Peeled and Crushed

1 C Red Wine, like Merlot or Cab Sav

1 C Beef Stock or Broth

1 T Herbs de Provence

1 Bay Leaf

1 T Butter

Preparation:

In a flat dish, combine flour, salt and pepper and dredge steaks to completely cover; tap to remove excess flour and set aside. In a saute pan over medium-high, heat olive oil; once hot, add steaks and cook on all sides to get a nice sear, then set aside.

In the same saute pan, now add the bacon and cook until bacon is nearly crisp. Add garlic and onion and continue to cook until onion are almost transparent. If needed, a 1/4 cup of the beef stock can be added at this time to deglaze the pan.

In a crock pot, place crushed tomatoes, wine, beef stock, herbs de provence and everything in the saute pan; stir to combine. Gently lay the seared steaks in a single layer in the sauce; add the bay leaf. Cook over low heat for 4 hours, then turn steaks over and continue to cook an additional 2 to 3 hours, stirring the sauce occasionally.

Once the steaks are falling apart, remove them (as whole as you can) to a serving dish. Remove and discard the bay leaf. To the sauce, add the butter and stir until melted; pour the sauce over the meat and serve hot.

Makes 4 servings.