Filet Mignon Roast & Julia's Kitchen Wisdom

This is truly one of my favorite cookbooks!  It is by a chef I absolutely adore!…. the one and only, Julia Child!  I have such respect and deep, soul, "cooking passion" emotion for this woman it is hard to put into words.

That said, this is one of those cookbooks that I refer to often and give as gifts to new brides, friends & family members.  My personal little green, hard back version is precious to me and it is centrally positioned in my "creating" kitchen.  

Her famous, very detailed, 2 Volume Set, my husband Bob, gave to me as a gift one Christmas.  So special!  It was written with Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck -- "Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volumes I and II."  I also cherish these cookbooks ---  for just the mere pleasure of reading and "dream" cooking with them.   

This book however... is always near me… my favorite… my little green one.

In describing Julia's Kitchen Wisdom book, I will use her words:
"This book aims to give quick, snappy answers to many…questions."
"It is, rather,  a mini-aide-memoir for general home cookery…. "

"It began as my loose-leaf kitchen reference guide gradually compiled from my own trials, remedies, and errors --- corrected as I've cooked my way through the years.  Now that it has evolved into a book, information is arranged according to the large categories of soups, eggs, bread, and so forth, with the emphasis on technique."
As for the essential techniques, "….in the roasting section for instance, the master recipe, though brief, details the technique.… Once you have mastered a technique you hardly need look at a recipe again and can take off on your own."

And only as Julia can express with her heart on her sleeve… "My own little loose-leaf served me well, and I am hoping this book version will give you too, as well as me, many of the essentials needed for brief instruction and problem solving."

Here's a recipe selection under the category of "Meats, Poultry and Fish" -- Technique, Roasting -- Master Recipe: Our Filet Mignon Beef Roast!

This is a tried and true, favorite family recipe - used throughout the course of the year and consistently for our New Year's Eve Celebration which I call…. "Foodie Wish Fest Celebration!"

To note… this recipe is always delicious and perfect ------ every time!  
Enjoy!!  From our family to yours!
Or as Julia would say…..  "Toujours bon appetit!"  

Family Filet Mignon Roast* - A Foodie Wish Fest Celebration Favorite

Roasting time at 325 degrees - preheat oven

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

Salt & pepper, freshly ground

For the Deglazing Sauce

1/2 cup each - carrots and onions, chopped

1/2 cup plum tomatoes, fresh, chopped

 2 cups beef broth

Rub the exposed ends of the roast with oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Arrange the roast in a roasting pan and set in the lower third of the preheated oven.

After 1/2 hour, baste the ends of the roast with accumulated fat, strew the carrots and onions into the pan, and baste with the fat.

Continue roasting, basting again once or twice, to a meat-thermometer reading of 125 - 130 degrees at the large end - for medium rare.  
We prefer to roast it until medium - 140 degrees / medium well.   December 2012, 160 degrees was perfect for us!

Remove the roast.

Spoon fat out of the roasting pan.

Scraping up the coagulated roasting juices, stir in the tomatoes.

Blend in the beef broth and boil several minutes to sauté the tomatoes and create a concentrated flavor.

Correct the seasoning, strain and pour into a warmed sauceboat.

Enjoy!

*from the book's recipe: Roast Prime Ribs of Beef


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