Tournedos Coliseum
Seared and cooked in butter, seasoned with Commander’s own version of Creole seasoning, these steaks arrive at the table napped in two different sauces. Both sauces are classics, the golden Bearnaise scented with tarragon and the dark Marchand du Vin rich with red wine. The “Coliseum” in the title is Coliseum Street, the address for Commander’s Palace. The famous restaurant is housed in a blue and white building under great live oaks — and across the street from one of New Orleans’ famous cemeteries.
Ingredients
- Creole Meat Seasoning
- Salt - 1-1/2 cups
- Garlic - 1/4 cup
- Freshly ground black pepper - 3/4 cup
- Cayenne Peppers - 1/2 cup
- Cumin - 1/4 cup
- Bearnaise Sauce
- Butter - 1/2 pound
- Egg Yolks - 4, at room temperature
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Worcestershire Sauce - 1-1/2 tablespoons
- Red Wine - 2 tablespoons
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- Chablis or other dry white wine - 2 tablespoons
- Salt to taste
- Dry white wine - 1 tablespoon
- Dried Tarragon Leaves - 2 teaspoons, finely crumbled
- Marchand de Vin Sauce
- Ham - 1 cup, finely diced
- Fresh mushrooms - 1 cup, finely diced
- Green Onions - 1 cup, finely diced
- Unsalted Butter - 2 ounces
- Veal Demi-Glace - 3 cups
- Red Wine - 1-1/2 cups
- Beef Tenderloin Steaks - 4, 1 inch thick
- Unsalted Butter - 3 tablespoons
- Unsalted Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Baby Carrots - 12, green tops trimmed very short, blanched
- Snow Pea Pods - 1/2 pound, steamed until softened
Instructions
To prepare the seasoning mix: Combine all ingredients. Store in a large jar. The mixture will keep indefinitely; the flavor may fade, but it will not “go bad.”
To prepare the Bearnaise sauce: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Do not let it brown. When completely melted, remove from the heat. Place the egg yolks, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, red wine, and cayenne in the top of a double boiler over simmering water; do not let the water touch the bottom of the pan. Whisk the mixture until it thickens and a sheen forms, about 3 minutes (no longer than 5 minutes). In a slow, steady stream, begin adding the butter, whipping constantly with a whisk. Continue until all the butter has been added. Add the wine and whip well. The sauce should be light and fluffy. In a small saucepan, slowly heat 1 tablespoon of white wine and the tarragon leaves until the liquid is nearly evaporated. Remove from heat and whisk into the sauce. Set the sauce aside and keep warm over tepid water, or in an insulated container.
To prepare the Marchand du Vin sauce: Saute the ham, mushrooms, and green onions in the butter. Add the demi-glace and wine and stir to blend. Simmer until reduced by one fourth. Strain. Set the sauce aside and keep warm over tepid water, or in an insulated container.
To prepare the steaks: Sprinkle the steaks with Creole meat seasoning. Heat the butter in a large saute pan and sear the steak for 2 minutes per side. Reduce the heat and continue cooking until done just below desired stage.
To serve: Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in each of two saute pans and separately saute the carrots and pea pods in butter until hot. Place a steak on each warmed serving plate. Cover one with Bearnaise sauce and one with Marchand du Vin sauce. Garnish with carrots and pea pods.
