Lemon-Pepper Beef Tournedos and Fettuccine with Asparagus, Lemon Cream Sauce, and Gremolata

Ingredients

For the Steaks:
• 2 pounds Omaha Steaks Chateaubriand, Beef Tenderloin
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 12 ounces dried fettuccine
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• For the Asparagus:
  • 1 ½ pounds asparagus
  • 1 cup Chicken Stock (see below)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• For the Lemon Cream Sauce and Gremolata:
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tablespoons minced lemon zest
  • Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted (see below), for garnish
• Chicken Stock:
  • 3 quarts cold water
  • 3 pounds uncooked chicken bones and/or raw wings and backs from 2 to 3 chickens
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 1 stalk celery, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
  • Bouquet Garni (see below)

Procedures

1. Place the water, chicken bones, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and peppercorns in a stockpot or large saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Add the bouquet garni to the pan and reduce the heat to low.
3. Partially cover the pan and simmer for at least 4 hours, and up to 6 hours, occasionally skimming any fat or impurities that rise to the surface.
4. Add water as needed to keep all the ingredients covered.
5. Strain the stock into a large bowl and let sit for 15 minutes.
6. Carefully skim the fat and then strain again into another bowl.
7. Refrigerate the stick until the fat congeals on the surface, and then skim off the fat once again.
8. Cover and keep stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Yields about 2 quarts (8 cups)

Ingredients

Bouquet Garni:
• 2 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 sprig fresh oregano or marjoram
• 1 sprig fresh tarragon
• 2 bay leaves

Procedures

1. Tie all the herbs together securely with kitchen twine.

Toasted Pine nuts

1. Place in a hot, dry skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Toast pine nuts, chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds for 3 to 5 minutes.
3. The nuts are toasted when they look slightly browned and smell aromatic.

To prepare the tournedos

1. Slice the tenderloin into 8 equal portions of about 4 ounces each; cut the portions longer from the tapered end of the tenderloin and flatten each steak so that the tournedos are approximately the same size.
2. Place the tournedos on a platter, season each side with ½ teaspoon of the lemon juice, and sprinkle with salt and a generous amount of pepper.
3. Let the steaks rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes while preparing the rest of the dish.
4. Cook the fettuccine al dente according to the package directions. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
5. Trim the asparagus, removing any large or woody ends.
6. Put the chicken stock, 1 cup of water, and the salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
7. Add the asparagus, reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer until just tender, 7 or 8 minutes. (Pencil asparagus will take half this time.)
8. Remove the asparagus with tongs or a slotted spoon, reserving the cooking liquid, and drain on paper towels.
9. Cut the asparagus into ¾-inch lengths (or 1-inch lengths for pencil asparagus) and sprinkle with the lemon juice.
10. Return the cooking liquid to the heat and reduce the liquid over medium-high heat until ½ cup remains. Set aside.

To prepare the sauce

1. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan and sauté 1 tablespoon of the garlic over medium heat for about 2 minutes, until softened.
2. Add the reduced cooking liquid from the asparagus and the heavy cream, and reduce until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of the parsley and 1 tablespoon of the lemon zest, and season with salt and white pepper. Remove from the heat.

To prepare the gremolata

1. Combine the remaining 1 teaspoon of garlic with the remaining 1 tablespoon each of parsley and lemon zest in a small bowl.
2. Set aside.
3. When ready to serve, add the cooked fettuccine and asparagus to the sauce, stir gently, and cook over low heat until the fettuccine and asparagus are warm.
4. Season with more salt and white pepper, if necessary.

To complete the tournedos

1. Heat the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet and sauté the tournedos over medium-high heat for about 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare, about 5 minutes per side for medium, or to the desired doneness.

Serve 2 tournedos per person with the fettuccine on the side. Garnish the fettuccine with the gremolata and the pine nuts.

Serves 4