Recipe: Beef Tenderloin with Broiled-Tomato Sauce

BEEF TENDERLOIN WITH BROILED-TOMATO SAUCE

2 1/2 lbs. plum tomatoes
1 medium-size onion
4 (about 1 1/4 lbs.) beef tenderloin steaks (filet mignon), each 1 1/2 inches thick
1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
salt (to taste)
1 tbsp. salad oil
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
basil sprig (for garnish)

Preheat broiler.

Cut each tomato lengthwise in half. Coarsely chop onion. Place tomatoes, cut-side up, and onion in broiling pan.

With oven rack at closest position to source of heat, broil tomatoes and onion 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly charred. Remove pan from oven; set aside. When tomatoes are cool enough to handle, discard tomato skins; coarsely chop tomatoes.

Sprinkle tenderloin steaks with pepper and 1 tsp. salt. In 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, in hot salad oil, cook steaks until underside of meat is browned, 5 minutes; turn meat and cook about 5 minutes longer for rare, or until desired doneness. Remove meat to warm plate; keep warm.

To drippings in skillet, add tomatoes, onion, sugar, dried basil, and 1/2 tsp salt; over high heat, heat to boiling, stirring to break up tomatoes.

Spoon sauce onto warm platter; arrange steaks in sauce. Garnish with basil-sprig.

Makes 4 main-dish servings
Source: Good Housekeeping magazine, May 1994