Anthony Bourdain is my homeboy and a shout out to the two R’s of the 2 C&R’s in Bayleeze!

Ok, has CT jumped into the sacramental wine with a a post like that? Seriously did he hit hit his head, I mean what is going on in Crime-free Memphis? Actually I have been ‘volunteered’ to make a beef tenderloin for my mother and her Christmas Hen party that is on Thursday so off to the kitchen I go to prep for her. I had just finished reading Anthony Bourdain’s “Kitchen Confidential” and since I endured a couple of years of waiting tables in some good french restaurants I could not put the book down and actually wet myself on 2 occasions, it is that good. Not to spoil Chef Bourdain’s book (you better call them Chef much like you say Mam or Sir) I won’t go into detail but I will say that when that man dogs the likes of Emeril (that ewok looking b@$stard) or (that dreamy, sexy) Bobby Flay, and he means business give it a read if you can! Anyway so when you grow up before the food channel was on you learn to cook from what restaurant you work so I learned how to prepare food the french way, needless to say Mrs. Trumpet after our 10 meal finally begged for just a burger and hold the heavy whipping cream!

So, this evening I am going to prepare a whole beef tenderloin stuffed ala sauteed garlic, pine nuts, pesto, and Gorgonzola cheese and before your jaw drops, the small ‘heel’ as I call it is stuffed with double Gloucester Stilton cheese. Now the reason that I have given a shout out to the two R’s of the 2 C&R’s in Bayleeze is that both the R’s are Italian and can use that stuffing for just about anything they want to (pork, chicken, fish) and I also want to torment both C&R’s a little because they are enjoying a nice little climate right now and I am freezing my arse off! Actually this past trip Mrs. Trumpet and I both said that we came away with 2 sets of good friends that we look forward to many years ahead of friendship and the invitation is always open at 595 for this meal!

Oh and if you are scratching your head wondering why I made the Anthony Bourdain book reference, I learned how to tie tenderloin the french way and I think if Chef were to take a look at this blog he would be impressed (not with the recipe that I am drinking beer while making it!) Ok, how to prepare it!

Sliver garlic into paper thin sheets and half the pine nuts
Saute over a medium high heat in butter (of course)

Oh the house is starting to smell like love now!

Remove from heat and add Gorgonzola cheese and fresh pesto

Here Chef Trumpet is butterflying the tenderloin (photo taken by Mrs. Trumpet or the Blog widow as she calls herself on occasion)

Beat the hell out of it and try to make it a little flatter (inside only) and add Salt and Pepper

Scoop out the Garlic, pine nuts, pesto and Gorgonzola love into the middle of it!

Re-tie the tenderloin with kitchen twine using the French loop and tug method

Damnit Chef Trumpet misjudged his twine and has 6 inches short (insert joke here please) Now the former crazy French Chefs that I worked for would make the grill man re-wrap that entire tenderloin but since I am on a tight schedule I will cut and splice!

How is that for some fancy knitting?

Now to the heel – prepare the same way as the big b@stard and salt and pepper her too!

Here is how you do the French loop and tug. Tie the end using a simple know and hold tight

Bring the twine across the meat and hold with your finger and loop around the tenderloin and secure around your finger

looping around

As you loop around and re-secure the twine, give her a tug and continue to the end of the tenderloin. The reason you do this is that there is only one string and you can cut each steak into a perfect portion (if you spaced it correctly)

Now place both tenderloins into a Ziploc bag and if both R’s are still reading along, go get a tissue because I am fixing to perform a crime against Italia

Pour in two liter bottles of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and let set overnight! Sadly you will have to discard the oil but let me tell you the meat will be “Slap ya Momma good!”

Oh my mother is so lucky to have a son like me!

Now when you are ready for cooking remove both tenderloins from the oil love bath let dry and bake for one hour @ 350 using a meat thermometer. On the large portion you can almost use the clock as one hour (after letting it rest for 20 minutes) the middle sections will be Med rare and the end will be Med to Med W. The smaller Heel portion use the meat thermometer and remember (When the heel and the thermometer come right out of the oven the thermometer will be hot as well!) This comes from experience!

TTK!