Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Italian Herbs
While visiting the Emilia-Romana region in Northern Italy, my friend Marcello took me to the town of Faenza, best known for the ceramic factories. After an afternoon of shopping for hand painted dessert plates to take home, Marcello took me to his favorite restaurant, Villa Golini where Chef Nicola let me cook with him. We made risotto with nettles, and grilled steak with fresh herbs from the garden behind the restaurant. When we had finished cooking, Nicola served us a bottle of Lambrusco as we sat around the table enjoying the fruits of our labor. For this dish, I use the prime cut of beef tenderloin, but you can use sirloin if you prefer.
Ingredients
Serves 6
Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Italian Herbs:
1 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin, chilled
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons fresh herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano), chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Process
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a gas or charcoal grill for direct heat cooking. Clean and oil the grate. Season the beef tenderloin with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Grill the beef tenderloin, searing on all sides, but making sure to leave the inside rare. Remove from heat and set aside to rest for 10 minutes on a plate or cutting board.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and fresh herbs. Slice the beef into 1-inch thick slices and place in a baking dish, laying them on top of each other like roof shingles. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with herb mixture. Place dish in oven and cook for 6-8 minutes, until beef is medium rare. Serve warm.
