Pepper-Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Bordelaise Sauce

How to prepare pepper-crusted beef tenderloin with bordelaise sauce

1. In a mortar, crush the black pepper with the sea salt. Add the finely chopped rosemary. Spread this mixture on your work surface.
2. Cut the beef tenderloin into 3 cm thick slices. Press the slices into the seasonings on the counter.
3. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a skillet. Add the beef slices (2-3 at a time, don't crowd them). Fry on the first side for 4 minutes, then flip and fry for 3 minutes on the other side (the meat will be medium, meaning pink in the center; adjust this time if you want rare (2.5 minutes/side) or well-done (5 minutes/side)).
   * fry all the meat
4. Remove the meat to a plate and cover with aluminum foil until the sauce is ready.
5. Put the wine, onion, thyme, bay leaf, and peppercorns in a small saucepan to boil. Simmer over medium heat until the wine reduces almost completely (about 2 tablespoons remain).
7. Add the demi-glace and the starch/flour dissolved in a tablespoon of water, stirring until completely dissolved and the sauce comes to a boil. Simmer for 2 minutes from that point.
   * with one teaspoon of starch/flour the sauce turns out just syrupy; add more starch/flour if you want it thicker
8. Strain the sauce and return to low heat. Add the cubed butter to the sauce, one piece at a time, adding each new piece only when the previous one has completely melted.
9. Taste the sauce for salt and add if needed.
10. Serve the tenderloin with mashed potatoes and drizzled with the bordelaise sauce.

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