Book of Days Tales

Today is the birthday (1585) of Armand Jean du Plessis, commonly known as Cardinal Richelieu.  He was first minister to Louis XIII of France from 1624 to 1642 and, as such, was de facto ruler of the country for most of that time.  His main goals were to consolidate power centrally within the monarchy (which meant opposing the dominance of the French nobility), and to defeat the Habsburg rulers in neighboring states.  He also fiercely opposed Protestantism within France although he happily made alliances with Protestant nations, such as, England and the Netherlands.  Richelieu’s grand vision for the French monarchy made the glories of the reign of Louis XIV possible, but also sowed the seeds of revolution under Louis XVI. Absolute monarchy had a limited shelf life.

Here is beef Richelieu with Madeira sauce created to honor the cardinal.

Ingredients

Beef Richelieu

2 lbs potatoes, peeled and shaped into ovals, approximately 1 ½  inches in diameter

4 lbs beef tenderloin, filet

1 tablespoon canola oil

12 medium tomatoes

¼ cup butter (1/2 stick)

12 -16 whole mushrooms

3 tablespoons butter

Madeira Sauce

1 cup beef broth

¼ cup dry madeira wine

¼ cup butter ( ½  stick)

2 tablespoons finely chopped mushrooms

4 ½ teaspoons cornstarch or 4 ½ teaspoons arrowroot

salt & freshly ground black pepper,

parsley sprig, for garnish

Instructions

Madeira Sauce

This can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated.

Combine the first four ingredients in small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Mix some of the sauce with the cornstarch and then stir into the pan. Continue simmering, stirring frequently, until sauce is consistency of whipping cream, about 20-25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Beef Richelieu:

Preheat your  oven to 375° F/190° C.

Cook the potatoes in enough boiling salted water to cover until barely tender, about 8 to 12 minutes. Drain well and set aside.

While the potatoes are boiling, brown the filet in 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high heat. Transfer it to a roasting pan and bake 25 minutes for rare (meat thermometer should register 125-130°F/ 51 – 54 °C). When the meat is done, remove it from the oven, cover loosely with foil, and keep warm.

While the meat is roasting, cook the tomatoes in enough salted water to cover over medium-high heat until tender, about 5 minutes. DO NOT overcook. Drain and let them cool slightly before peeling; cover and keep warm.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until lightly browned. Remove from the skillet and keep warm.

Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter to the skillet and heat over medium- high heat.  Add the potatoes and sauté until evenly browned.

To serve, transfer the meat to a heated platter and surround it with the vegetables. Degrease pan drippings and add the Madeira sauce to the pan and reheat, stirring well. Spoon some sauce over the meat, reserving the remainder in a sauce boat to pass separately. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.