Pink Shoe Cookbook...Merlot Risotto with Beef Tenderloin

A coworker shared this recipe with me last week and it looked SO good I had to try it out this weekend. Risotto made with red wine was a new concept for me and I have to say, it is DELICIOUS. The recipe calls for chicken broth but I would even be sassy and use beef broth instead if you have it. That's what I will be using next time. Either way, it's easy, fabulous and delicious. I think this would be a good "Trying To Impress" someone meal. Or in my case, a good "Sit Around in Sweatpants and Watch Desperate Housewives" meal. It's versatile like that!

Let's get started:

Merlot Risotto with Beef Tenderloin
(adapted from this recipe in the October 19, 2005 Boston Globe)

Tenderloin:
2 pounds center-cut beef tenderloin, well trimmed
Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 tablespoon butter

Preheat the oven to 450.

Season the steak and heat butter in large pan over medium-high heat. When it's hot add meat (you want it to make that searing sound when you add it, or it's not hot enough) and brown on all sides, about 3 minutes a side. Transfer to a foil covered baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes.



Remove the meat from the oven, cover loosely with foil, and keep in a warm place until ready to serve. If this warm place is the oven, be a smartie and make sure you turn the oven off before you do this or you will end up with well done, vs the desired "rare" cut. Not that I did that. No siree.

Risotto
1 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
2 cups merlot or other dry red wine
4 cups (1 carton) chicken stock, heating to boiling
handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pan over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and the oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until they begin to soften.



I seared the steak while I did the onions to save time.

Stir in the risotto and cook for a minute or so, coating in the buttery onion mixture.



2. Add the merlot, about 1/2 cup at a time and stir each time until absorbed.



As soon as that wine hits the pan it starts to smell so good and you will KNOW this was a good idea. Especially when it starts to look like this.



When all the wine has been added, add the heated chicken broth 1/2 cup at a time. Wait until the rice has absorbed each addition before adding more. You will probably think that in between pouring the broth in, you can walk away for a bit. But you really can't. Risotto gets really lonely when left alone, and it retaliates by sticking to the bottom of your pan. So stay with it and keep stirring.

After about 20-25 minutes or so, you should be done. With the last 1/2 cup of broth add in a handful of parmesan and stir.



Slice the tenderloin into 1/2 inch slices and serve atop each serving of risotto.



Magnifique!