Beef Tenderloin with Shiitake Cream Sauce

Please forgive me for missing What's Cooking Wednesday last week.  We've had a ton going on and I simply forgot to post!  Actually, in the coming weeks, I'm going to try to schedule some recipes, but I can't guarantee anything since I could go into labor at any time and I'll be living with my mom and moving the entire month of June.  Bear with me, please!

"This rich, elegant dish is sure to be a crowd-pleaser; an ideal choice for impressing your boss or for any other special occasion.  Pinot noir, with it's affinity for both mushrooms and Asian spices, would be an elegant wine choice."

1 beef tenderloin roast, about 2 pounds, trimmed

Cilantro sprigs, for garnish (optional)

Marinade

1/3 cup hoisin sauce (found in the Asian aisle of most groceries)

1/4 cup oyster sauce (again, in the Asian aisle; I used fish sauce instead, since I had some!)

2 tablespoons vodka

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon hot chili oil

Shiitake Cream Sauce

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup dry sherry

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/4 teaspoon hot chili oil

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 1/2 cups sliced, stemmed shiitake mushrooms

For the marinade, whisk all ingredients together.  Pour the marinade into a glass baking dish or resealable plastic bag, and add the meat, turning to evenly coast.  Cover the dish tightly, or securely seal the bag, and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Take the meat from the marinade and put it on a rack in a roasting pan.  Roast the beef until the internal temperature at the thickest part registers 130 degrees for medium-rare, about 25 minutes, or longer to suit your taste.  When the meat is done, remove it from the oven and tent it with foil.  The meat temperature will rise to 140-150 degrees while resting.

For the sauce, combine the cream, sherry, soy sauce, sesame oil, orange zest, and chili oil in a small bowl and set aside.  Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ginger, and cook, stirring, until very fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute.  Add the mushrooms and cook until tender, 2-3 minutes.  Add the cream mixture and boil until the sauce begins to brown and thicken, about 4 minutes.

Slice the tenderloin into medallions about 1/2 inch thick.  Spoon the mushroom sauce over the meat and garnish with cilantro.

Serves 6.

Adapted from Celebrate the Rain, by the Junior League of Seattle.