Garlic And Black Pepper-Marinated Fillet Of Beef On A Bed Of Arugula

Serves 8 very generously
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Adapted from the More from ACE Bakery cookbook

Serving steak on a bed of arugula drizzled with oil is an old Tuscan recipe. This updated version substitutes fillet for beef steak and includes a dry marinade as well as a good squeeze of lemon juice. If arugula is not available, serve the sliced fillet on sourdough or Calabrese bread rubbed with garlic. The beef juices will permeate the bread, making for a truly decadent dinner.

Two rules you should follow to ensure a perfectly cooked fillet:

1. Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking so that it is not cold in the middle when it goes into the oven.
2. Let the meat rest for at least 10 to 15 minutes to allow it to finish cooking and the juices to redistribute throughout the fillet.

Ingredients

6 to 8 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed
up to 3 Tbsp. (45 mL) coarsely ground black pepper
3½ to 4 pounds (1.6 to 1.8 kg) fillet of beef
1 to 2 Tbsp. (15 to 30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. (15 mL) kosher salt
6 to 8 heaping handfuls of baby arugula
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) lemon juice
1 to 2 Tbsp. (15 to 30 mL) assertive-tasting extra-virgin olive oil (Tuscan, if possible)

Instructions

Rub the garlic and black pepper onto all sides of the fillet. Wrap in plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.

One hour before serving, remove the fillet from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. If one end is thicker than the other, roll the thinner side under itself.

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).

Brush the garlic off the fillet, leaving on as much pepper as possible. With your hands, rub 1 to 2 Tbsp. (15 to 30 mL) of oil over all sides of the beef. Season very generously with salt and more black pepper.

Roast in an uncovered pan for 22 to 24 minutes for rare, 27 to 29 minutes for medium rare. Let the meat rest for at least 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into ¼- to ½-inch (.6- to 1.2-cm) slices.
Cover the serving plate with a good layer of arugula, overlap the fillet slices onto the greens, and drizzle the meat with the lemon juice and then the olive oil.

Cook’s Tip
The thickest part of the meat registers 108° to 112°F (42° to 44°C) on a meat thermometer for very rare, 118° to 122°F (48° to 50°C) for medium rare, 125° to 128°F (52° to 53°C) for medium. The meat will continue to cook after it is removed from the oven. If you don’t let it rest 15 minutes, your meat will be undercooked and will lose a lot of its juices.


Linda Haynes is the co-founder of ACE Bakery and the award-winning author of the bestseller, "The ACE Bakery Cookbook". All royalties from this cookbook are given to organizations in support of food and nutrition programs that assist low-income members of the community, to culinary scholarships, and to organic farming initiatives. Royalties from "More from ACE Bakery" cookbook are donated to organizations that work with women and children in crisis.

Established in 1993, ACE Bakery is now one of North America's leading artisan bakeries, providing fresh and partially baked breads to customers across Canada, New York State, the Midwest and Northeast U.S.A., Louisiana and the Bahamas, as well as on Air Canada and Air France flights.

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