Equipment
Ingredients
Beef
- 6 beef tenderloin, medallions
- 5 g salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Forestiere Sauce
- 27 g clarified butter
- 18 g shallots, finely chopped
- 3 g garlic, finely minced
- 170 g mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 120 ml red wine
- 240 ml veal broth
- 60 ml madeira wine
- 55 g unsalted butter, room temperature
Garnish
- 6 basil, fresh sprigs
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 428 kcal
- Protein
- 48 g
- Carbohydrates
- 4 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 431 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 11 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 183 mg
- Potassium
- 716 mg
- Calcium
- 40 mg
- Iron
- 4.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 37 mg
- Phosphorus
- 453 mg
- Zinc
- 7.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 67 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 6.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.13 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.76 mg
- Niacin
- 11.6 mg
- Folate
- 19 mcg
- Water
- 188 g
- Alcohol
- 2 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Season all sides of the beef medallions with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Melt 13.5g of clarified butter in a saucepan over medium heat (approx 175°C/350°F).
Add the shallots and garlic to the saucepan and cook until they become fragrant.
Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for 3 minutes until softened.
Pour 60ml of red wine into the mushrooms and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.
Add the veal broth, bring to a boil, then stir in the remaining red wine and Madeira; simmer until reduced to about 300ml (1 1/4 cups).
Heat the remaining 13.5g of clarified butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
Sear the beef for 2-3 minutes per side until browned; use a thermometer to ensure an internal temperature of 54°C (130°F) for medium-rare.
Transfer the beef to a warm platter, then pour the mushroom sauce into the hot skillet to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits.
Remove the skillet from high heat and whisk in the room temperature butter until the sauce is smooth and glossy.
Spoon the sauce onto six plates, top with a beef medallion, and garnish with basil sprigs.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure your beef tenderloin is at room temperature before searing for more even cooking. This helps prevent the exterior from overcooking while the interior remains underdone.
- Don't overcrowd the skillet when searing the beef. Cook in batches if necessary to achieve a proper, flavorful crust. Overcrowding steams the meat instead of searing it.
- When finishing the sauce with butter (monter au beurre), always remove the pan from direct heat. Whisking cold butter into a hot sauce off the heat prevents the sauce from breaking and creates a beautiful, emulsified sheen.
- Taste and adjust seasoning for the sauce at the very end. The reduction process concentrates flavors, so salt and pepper needs may change.
Storage
Refrigerator: 72 hours — Store sauce and beef together to maintain moisture.
Freezer: 720 hours — Texture of beef may degrade upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat until the sauce is fluid and beef reaches 50°C/122°F.
Troubleshooting
Sauce is thin and watery
Cause: The liquid was not reduced sufficiently before adding butter.
Fix: Simmer the sauce longer before whisking in the room temperature butter.
Prevention: Ensure the sauce reduces to the specified volume (approx 300ml) before final steps.
Sauce appears broken or oily
Cause: The butter was whisked into the sauce while it was boiling too rapidly.
Fix: Whisk in a teaspoon of cold water or broth to help re-emulsify.
Prevention: Remove the pan from high heat before adding the final butter.
Cultural Context
Medallions of Beef Forestiere is a classic French dish, with 'Forestiere' translating to 'woodsman-style.' This typically signifies a preparation that includes mushrooms, a staple of French woodland foraging, often enhanced with wine and herbs, reflecting the rich culinary traditions of French country cooking.
