Oven-Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Garlic Horseradish Cream

Oven-Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Garlic Horseradish Cream

adapted from a recipe found on www.epicurious.com

Ingredients:

Sauce:

1 large head of garlic, whole

1 teaspoon olive oil

pinch salt

2 cups heavy cream

¼ cup drained prepared horseradish

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

½ teaspoon salt

Tenderloin:

2.5-3 pound center-cut beef tenderloin roast

3 teaspoons kosher salt (flakes)

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper (preferably fresh-ground)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika (preferably smoked or Hungarian)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Make sauce:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut off and discard top ¼ of garlic head, exposing all the cloves.  Drizzle garlic with oil and sprinkle with pinch of salt.  Wrap garlic tightly in foil.  Roast garlic until tender, about 1 hour.  Remove from oven, open foil and allow to cool.

While garlic roasts, simmer cream, salt and white pepper in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally until reduced to about ¾ cup, about 30 minutes.  Transfer reduced cream to a bowl and set aside.

Squeeze roasted garlic into a small bowl, discarding the skins.  Mash together with the prepared horseradish.  Blend the cream and garlic/horseradish mixture using an immersion or other blender.  Chill until ready to serve.

Prepare and Roast Tenderloin:

(I mix up the rubbing paste for the roast ahead of time and let it sit so the flavors blend)  Stir together salt, oregano, garlic powder, paprika and olive oil into a thick paste.  Rub the paste all over the surface of the tenderloin. 

Place the tenderloin on a foil-covered baking sheet (with raised sides to contain any juices).  Allow the roast to come to room temperature before baking (this will take an hour or so and will not harm the meat in any way). 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Take the thin ends of the tenderloin and tuck them under the center.  Cover the roast tightly with foil.

Roast on center rack for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and let stand (do NOT uncover) for 20 minutes.

Remove foil and continue to roast for another 15-20 minutes.  This will cook the roast to medium-rare, which is optimal for this cut of beef.

Allow roast to stand for 10 minutes before carving into slices and serving with chilled garlic horseradish cream.