Beef Tenderloin Bites on a Bed of Arugula

By á-2693

Ingredients

• * 1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs, eyeball it
• * Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• * 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of handfuls
• * 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it, plus some for drizzling
• * 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• * 4 tenderloin steaks, 1 inch thick, cut into bite sized pieces
• * Salt and pepper
• * 5 to 6 cups arugula, chopped
• * 1 lemon, juiced
• * Spicy Crab and Vermicelli, recipe follows

Preparation

Step 1

Directions

Preheat broiler to high.

Mix bread crumbs with parsley, cheese. Warm the oil and garlic over low heat to infuse flavor, 5 minutes. Pour oil into bread crumbs and combine to distribute equally and moisten the bread crumbs.

Season the meat with salt and pepper. Coat the meat in bread crumb mixture to coat evenly. Spread meat onto baking sheet and broil until crisp and meat is tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Serve meat on bed of shredded arugula with pasta alongside, such as Spicy Crab and Vermicelli. Give a squeeze of lemon juice over the beef and arugula.
Spicy Crab and Vermicelli:

1 pound vermicelli

Salt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan

1 tablespoon butter, cut into small bits

1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, eyeball it, medium to spicy heat level

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced

1/4 cup dry sherry or Marsala

8 ounces, drained weight, lump crabmeat, shredded

1 (28-ounce) can crushed San Marzano tomatoes

1/4 cup half-and-half or cream, eyeball it

1 pound thin spaghetti

Shredded Romano or Parmigiano, your pick, optional

10 to 12 basil leaves, shredded

Place a large pot of water on to boil. Add pasta and salt water. Cook to al dente.

While water comes to a boil, heat a deep skillet over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and butter. To warm oil and butter add crushed red pepper flakes, garlic and shallots, saute 3 minutes, add shiitake mushrooms and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes more. Deglaze the pan with sherry or Marsala wine, scatter in crabmeat - feeling for shell bits as you go. Warm the ingredients through, a minute or so, stir in tomatoes and heat through, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in half-and-half or cream and reduce heat to lowest setting.

Drain pasta when cooked to al dente and toss with sauce and crab. Top with cheese, if using, and basil.

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 to 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ease of preparation: easy