Beyond Salt & Pepper: Beef Tenderloin with Roasted Garlic Sauce and Quinoa

A friend and fellow blogger inspired me to start cooking with quinoa, a fluffy, mild and nutty grain. I’ve had an unopened box of this healthy grain in my pantry for the last 6 months, but always seemed to reach for the familiar scoop of rice or box of pasta. It was definitely time to expand my culinary repertoire in this area. 

On Epicurious.com, I found a recipe for beef tenderloin, served with a roasted garlic sauce and a leek & yellow tomato quinoa. While beef tenderloin is fairly simple to grill, I was more interested in the different options to serve alongside it. With an impressive Epicurious rating of 4 forks (based on 24 reviews), I was easily convinced to give the recipe a shot. 

The leek & yellow tomato quinoa had a very clean and fresh taste, working well with the beef tenderloin and rich garlic sauce.  The flavor of the leeks was very soft and subtle, and the yellow tomatoes provided a nice golden color.  All this being said,  I was hoping for a little more flavor.  I’ve adapted the recipe below to better balance out the ingredients.  I think increasing the proportion of tomatoes, leeks, and basil, boosts the overall flavor.  I’d like to keep trying more recipes with quinoa, because it seems like it has a lot of potential in various types of menus.

Beef tenderloin is one of my favorite cuts of meat, and I usually like to keep it very simple with nothing more than salt and pepper.  However, I was pleasantly surprised with the roasted garlic sauce served alongside the beef tenderloin.  I’ll admit, it took me a few bites before I was willing to dip into the garlic sauce, but I’m certainly glad I did.  The sauce had a very creamy texture, most likely from the garlic heads simmering in the milk.  Also, note that instead of serving one large tenderloin in slices, I served individual tenderloins, roughly 1/3 pound each.  There’s something to be said about effortlessly cutting through a nice filet (no steak knives needed!)

Beef Tenderloin with Roasted Garlic Sauce
Adapted from Bon Appétit’s recipe, published September 2003
Serves 4

Sauce:
2 large heads of garlic, keep skin on but cut off the top third of the bunch
2 cups milk, preferably 2% or whole milk
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth 
Salt & pepper to taste 

Beef Tenderloin:
4  1/3 pound pieces beef tenderloin
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preparing the Sauce
1.  Preheat oven to 350F.  In a small saucepan, add milk and garlic.  Make sure that garlic is sitting cut side up, and that the milk is high enough to coat the top of the cloves.   Over medium heat, simmer for about 12-15 minutes, uncovered. 

2.  Remove the cloves from the milk, and transfer to a small oven-proof baking dish.  Pour olive oil over the garlic heads and cover the top of the dish with foil.  Bake in the oven for about an hour.

3.  Once garlic is soft, remove from the oil and let cool.  Pour the oil from the baking dish into a blender, along with chicken broth.  Squeeze out garlic cloves from their peels, and blend well with the oil and broth.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  This sauce is best served warm, so if needed, reheat over the stove in a small saucepan.

Grilling the Tenderloin
1.  Prepare barbeque, heating it to medium.  Coat tenderloin with olive oil, salt, and pepper.   Make sure to give the beef some time to sit outside of the refrigerator.  The chill can cause the beef to tighten upon hitting the grill.

2. Grill to desired doneness – approximately 5-7 minutes per side for medium rare.

Leek & Yellow Tomato Quinoa
Adapted from Bon Appétit’s recipe, published September 2003
Serves 4

1 cup quinoa
1 3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups finely chopped leeks (white and light green parts only)
1/4 chicken broth
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium-sized yellow tomatoes, chopped & seeded
3 tablespoons green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Using a strainer, rinse the quinoa under cold running water until water runs clear.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa, water and salt. Bring water to a boil, then reduce to medium-low. Cover and simmer until quinoa is tender and water is absorbed. This should take about 12-15 minutes. Set aside.

3. Melt butter in a large skillet, then add leeks and sauté until they begin to soften. Add chicken broth, quinoa, and oil. Stir until well combined. Lastly, add tomatoes, green onions, basil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.