December 18, 2017
Winter Holiday Section
THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 11
FLAVORFUL & TENDER. A serving of Prosciutto and Red Pepper Stuffed Petite Filet is seen in New
York. The filet is a great option for a holiday meal. (Sara Moulton via AP)
KitchenWise: Serve petite
beef filet for a holiday dinner
By Sara Moulton
The Associated Press
ant to serve a fancy roast for
Christmas
dinner
without
breaking the bank? Try a petite
beef filet. Cut from the shoulder, long and
thin, and weighing between 8 and 10
ounces, the petite filet looks like a mini
tenderloin of beef — one of the priciest and
most popular of roasts. But it’s much less
expensive and more flavorful than the
tenderloin. And tender, too.
Here we’ve rolled it up and stuffed it
with prosciutto, as well as with pesto and
roasted red peppers. The latter two
ingredients — one green, the other red —
echo the signature colors of the holiday
even as they delight the taste buds. And,
bonus! You can buy them by the jar in the
supermarket, which makes the prep that
much easier.
The only tricky part of this recipe for
Prosciutto and Red Pepper Stuffed Petite
Filet is double-butterflying the roast —
that is, cutting the filet in such a way that
it becomes a big flat rectangle. Start by
looking for the largest petite filets you can
W
find. They’re the easiest to slice and they
hold more stuffing. Then, before
commencing your butterfly surgery, read
the instructions several times. The goal is
to avoid cutting a hole in the meat as you
butterfly it, although it’s not a problem
even if you do. The roast will still hold
together after the meat is pounded, lined
with prosciutto, rolled, and tied. And tying
it isn’t that difficult. If you need help, there
are several terrific videos online that will
take you through it step by step.
This recipe doesn’t need to be made at
the last minute. You can cut, roll, and tie
the roast ahead of time and chill it for sev-
eral hours. Then, when you’re 25 minutes
or so from sitting down to dinner, brown it,
pop it in the oven, and let it rest for the
requisite 10 minutes. Whip up the sauce
while the roast is resting. You will look like
a culinary genius as you plate up a singu-
larly elegant and festive holiday meal.
Editor’s note: Sara Moulton is host of public
television’s “Sara’s Weeknight Meals.” She was
executive chef at Gourmet magazine for nearly
25 years and spent a decade hosting several
Food Network shows, including “Cooking Live.”
Her latest cookbook is Home Cooking 101.
Prosciutto and Red Pepper Stuffed Petite Filet
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 45 minutes (25 active)
Two large petite beef filets (about 1 1/4 pounds total)
1/4 pound thin-sliced prosciutto
1/4 cup pesto
1/4 cup thin red pepper strips
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1/3 cup dry red or white wine
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Preheat the oven to 400º Fahrenheit.
Butterfly the petite filet roasts: Working with one filet at a time, place the filet on a
cutting board with one of the short ends facing you. Start cutting the roast along the
left long side about 2/3 of the way down from the top of the filet, cutting through
almost to the other side but stopping about 1/2 inch from the other side. Flip the
roast over so that the cut side is now on the right. Repeat the procedure on the left
side again, slicing about 2/3 of the way down from the top of the filet, cutting to
within 1/2-inch of the other side. Open up the two flaps you just cut in the filet so it is
the shape of a rectangle. Pound the meat between two sheets of plastic wrap,
sprinkled with water until it is about 1/4-inch thick all over.
Arrange half the prosciutto over the inside of each roast, leaving a 1/2-inch border
on all sides. Spread half of the pesto on top of the prosciutto and arrange the red
pepper strips down the middle. Starting with the long end, roll up the beef to form a
cylinder and tie it with twine at one-inch lengths.
In a medium ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat, add the meat,
seasoned all over with salt and pepper, and brown it on all sides, about five minutes.
Transfer the pan to the middle shelf of the oven and roast the filets for 10 minutes
for medium-rare meat. Transfer the roasts to a plate, cover them loosely with foil,
and let them rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Meanwhile, add the wine to the skillet and deglaze the pan over medium-high
heat, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom. Add the chicken broth and any
juices from the resting meat and simmer for three minutes.
To serve: Remove the strings, slice the meat, and arrange it on four plates. Spoon
some of the pan juices over each portion.
Nutrition information per serving: 402 calories (201 calories from fat); 22 g fat (5
g saturated, 0 g trans fats); 122 mg cholesterol; 976 mg sodium; 4 g carbohydrates; 0
g fiber; 1 g sugar; 42 g protein.
What to do if one starts in yours: Never put water on a grease or oil fire. Keep a lid handy
when cooking. If a fire starts in a pan, turn off the burner and carefully slide the lid over the
pan to extinguish the fire. Don’t run outside with the burning pot. Keep a fire extinguisher
in the kitchen. If the fire continues, leave the home and call 9-1-1.
A Message from the Oregon Life Safety Team: A Coalition of
Fire Service, Community and Insurance Professionals