I came up with this recipe on an olive farm in California while I was smoking the tenderloin over olive branches. If you don’t happen to have any olive branches kicking around, don’t fret. You’ll still get intense olive flavour from the hearty olive ragout and the silky olive oil mashed potatoes.
Serves 4
For the Filet Mignon
1 tbsp (15 mL) black peppercorns
1 tbsp (15 mL) white peppercorns
1 tbsp (15 mL) pink peppercorns
Zest of 1 orange
2 tbsp (30 mL) kosher salt
2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
4 centre-cut beef tenderloin filets (each 6 oz/175 g)
2 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbsp (50 mL) unsalted butter
Salt and pepper
For the Roasted Chili and Olive Ragout
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
2 jalapeño peppers
1 poblano chili
4 tbsp (60 mL) olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup (125 mL) pitted olives, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped parsley
Salt and black pepper
For the Olive Oil Mash
2 lb (1 kg) large russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
⅓ cup (75 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup (60 mL) pitted olives, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
To make the coating for the beef, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Combine all the peppercorns in a dry ovenproof skillet and toast them in the oven for 5 minutes. Coarsely grind into a small bowl. Stir in the orange zest and kosher salt. Set aside.
To make the ragout, increase the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C). Place all the peppers and chili on a baking sheet and toss with 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the olive oil to coat. Roast until the skins are blackened and blistered, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let cool. Peel off and discard the skins. Seed the peppers and cut them into strips.
In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the remaining olive oil. Add the red onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in the olives, garlic, and pepper and chili strips; continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside, keeping warm.
Meanwhile, make the olive oil mash. Cover the potatoes with cold salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes, return them to the pot, and mash them. Stir in the olive oil, olives, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping warm.
To finish the steaks, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. Season the filets with the peppercorn mixture. Sear the filets for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for rare to medium-rare. Add the thyme, garlic, and butter; once sizzling, baste the filets, then remove them from the pan. Let rest for 1 to 2 minutes before serving.
To serve, divide the olive oil mash among 4 plates. Place a filet on top of the potatoes. Serve with a large spoonful of the roasted chili and olive ragout.