Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants!

Jamie Oliver's Pappardelle with a Ragu of Tiny Meatballs

This is a sophisticated version of spaghetti and meatballs - that 'Italian classic' that no mama in Italy would ever make. For some reason it has caught on here in North American. I bet if you asked 100 folk to name their favourite pasta dish more than a third would select this!

While this recipe looks complicated it isn't. You can make the meatballs in advance and then just toss them together with the sauce as the water for the pasta boils.

Jamie Oliver's Pappardelle with a Ragu of Tiny Meatballs

1 x basic pasta dough or use 1 lb good-quality dried pappardelle
A knob of butter
Parmesan cheese

Meatballs
1 Pound ground beef  -Jamie makes a point in the book to say have the butcher grind this in front of you and be sure to get hormone and antibiotic free meat
1-2 Dried chillies
Pinch of ground cinnamon
1/2 Nutmeg, grated
3 Cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Large egg   -  He also points out this should be free range organic
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Zest of 1 lemon - I personally think you should use less, maybe a half?
Salt and pepper

For the tomato sauce
Olive oil
2-3 Cloves of garlic, finely chopped
A Bunch of basil, leaves picked and stalks chopped
1 Fresh red chili, pierced with the tip of a knife - I used a dried for this
2 x 400g Tins of plum tomatoes
Swig of red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper

If you’re making fresh pappardelle to this first and lay it out on a floured pan while you get on with the meatballs and tomato sauce.

To make your meatballs, mix and 'scrunch' (a Jamieism) together all the meatball ingredients in your hands and shape into marble-sized balls. When rolling the meatballs, run your hands under cold water every now and then – it will help to make the meatballs dense and hold their shape better. Place them in a pan and put in the fridge while you make your tomato sauce.

Get a pan on the heat and add a glug of olive oil to it. Gently fry the garlic, basil stalks and the whole chili, then add the tomatoes and red wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper then gently simmer for half an hour.

Heat up a little olive oil in a frying pan and throw in your meatballs. Cook until they’ve got a really good color on them, and then add them to your tomato sauce. Remove the chili from the sauce and check for seasoning. Continue to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, if you’re using dried pasta, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook according to the package instructions. Otherwise, when your meatballs are almost done, cook your fresh pasta for 2 to 3 minutes until al dente.

Drain the pappardelle in a colander, reserving a little of the cooking water, then toss it in the meatball sauce. Add the knob of butter, the Parmesan and tear over half the basil leaves. Now, toss around to coat the pasta. Add a little bit of cooking water to loosen the sauce if needed.

When it’s superb, serve on a big platter or divide up between individual plates, scatter with the rest of the basil leaves, grate over some Parmesan and serve as soon as possible.

Grilled Tenderloin Steak with Gorgonzola Butter

For me one of the joys of the spring is that I can fire up the grill again. Don't get me wrong, I grill throughout the winter but it is a lot nicer grilling while sitting outside than it is grilling whilst running in and out to sit in front of the fireplace for warmth.

On Sunday I had made those amazing breadsticks and decided to make some gnocchi with a gorgonzola sauce to enjoy them with. I probably would have been good with that but was also craving red meat. I know, I know . . . what don't I crave?

I found this recipe in my Better Homes and Gardens grilling cook book. It seemed perfect - simple and elegant at the same time. I love the combination of beef and blue cheese - a match made in heaven.

We served the steak on top of the gnocchi.

YUM

Grilled Tenderloin Steak with Gorgonzola Butter

4  boneless beef top loin steaks, cut 1 inch thick (about 2 pounds total)
2  tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese
2  tablespoons soft onion-garlic cream cheese (I used Boursin)
1  to 2 tablespoons butter, softened
1  tablespoon chopped pine nuts or walnuts, toasted
salt
pepper
olive oil
thinly sliced fresh basil or chopped parsley

Bring the steaks to room temperature. Brush lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the steaks on the grill rack of an uncovered grill to desired doneness, turning once. (Allow 8 to 12 minutes for medium-rare doneness or 12 to 15 minutes for medium doneness.)

Meanwhile, for flavored butter, stir together Gorgonzola or blue cheese, cream cheese, butter, and nuts. Shape into 1-inch-diameter log. Wrap in plastic wrap; chill.

Slice flavored butter into 8 slices. Place 1 to 2 slices of flavored butter on each steak. Sprinkle with basil or parsley. Makes 4 servings

More Than Meatza Pie

This book and the Podleski sister's other two books; Looneyspoons and Crazy Plates are my best friends in my seemingly never ending weight loss journey. Every meal I make from these books is tasty, the portion sizes are filling and everything is tweaked to be healthier.

Paul doesn't feel like he is "dieting" with me. I love that I can make a satisfying meal and still be on track with my goals. Eat, Shrink and be Merry is my favourite book in the series so far. Everything I have made has been delicious.

My only complaint about the books is that there is an outbreak of puns within. Some of the recipe titles: Crash Test Dumplings, Kernel Austin, Touched by an Angel Hair Pasta, or Buoy Meets Grill. Once you get past the bad humour you'll find that the recipes are well thought out, approachable, and use regular ingredients (as compared to ones that take you on a trip to 7 enthic markets in obscure areas of town).

The information in the margins in between recipes is great as well--tips and tricks for becoming a healthier person, not necessarily a thinner one.

This is one of our favourite recipes from the book. This makes 2 meatloaves, each will serve 4 people. Each meatloaf is like a little pizza- hence the title: More than Meatza Pie! Give it a try, you'll be impressed.

More Than Meatza Pie

1 1/4 lb extra lean ground beef
8 oz light mild Italian sausage, casing removed
1/3 c Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
1/3 c minced onions
1/3 c + 1/2c pizza sauce
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp each salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 c packed shredded light old (sharp) chedder cheese
1/2 c diced tomatoes
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 tbsp chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 375F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and set aside.

Combine ground beef, sausage, bread crumbs, onions, 1/3c pizza sauce, Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix infredients together using your hands. Divide mixture in half. Press divided mixture evenly over bottom of cake pans, spreading to edges. Bake for 25 minutes, until meat is no longer pink.

Remove pans from oven and drain off any liquid. Carefully transfer "crusts" to a cookie sheet. Blot tops dry with paper towels. Spread 1/4c pizza sauce over each "crust." Top with cheese, followed by tomatoes, crumbled bacon, and green onions.

Bake for 10 more minutes, until cheese is completely melted. Serve hot.

Per serving: 239 calories; 12.8 g fat, 6.6 g sat fat, 24 g protein, 8 g carbohydrates, 0.9 g fiber, 88 mg cholesterol, 672 mg sodium.

Jamie Oliver's Pan-fried Steak with Chianti Butter Sauce and Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

It would appear that nothing brings traffic to a blog quite like a post about celebrities without underwear, Duff's chicken wings (if you're in the area - do check them out, based upon the number of click throughs searching for information they must be quite popular) or anything by Jamie Oliver. So in the interest of generating more clicks . . .

My sister gave Paul this cookbook for Christmas. It is Jamie Oliver's attempt to help everyone learn to be a better cook. We were very happy with Jamie's last cookbook Jamie's Italy so we were excited to receive this one. The book is fairly well-written (once you get used to Jamie's hyper and casual style) with some great recipes.

Over the weekend Paul was flipping through the book looking for something to make for 'his' dinner (he cooks one night a week to give me a break). He stopped on page 158 and said 'I think I'd like to make that.' So make it, he did. I was a bit surprised at his choice because he isn't much of a red meat eater, I however am a true carnivore so was thrilled at the opportunity for a nice rare steak.

He found the recipe to be fairly easy to follow and I can attest to the fact that it tasted great! It is a very simple, yet rewarding, way of cooking a steak. You only end up with a small amount of sauce to drizzle over the steak but it will be more than enough.

Jamie Oliver's Pan-fried Steak with Chianti Butter Sauce and Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

For the olive oil mash:

14 oz potatoes, peeled and chopped
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon butter

for the steak:

2 7 oz sirloin steaks, 1 inch thick, fat scored
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil

for the sauce:

3 tablespoons butter
2 shallots, peeled and finely diced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked
1 cup chianti

a few sprigs watercress
good quality extra virgin olive oil

Put the potatoes in a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Drain them in a colander and allow to sit for 5 minutes to steam away any excess moisture. Return the potatoes to the pan and mash, stirring in a large 'glug' (what's a glug Jamie you goof?), the cheese, and butter. Taste, season with the salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.

Heat a heavy frying pan, large enough to cook both steaks at once without them touching. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Brush with olive oil. Using a pair of tongs, hold the steaks fatty-edge down in the frying pan to render and colour the fat. When the fat is golden, fry the steaks for eight minutes in total for medium-rare, turning them every minute. Remove from pan to rest.

Turn the heat down and add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. Fry the shallots and thyme for 4 minutes. Pour the wine in and reduce it by half. Pour in the juices from the steaks (we let them rest on a large plate covered with foil to capture all of the juices). Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and remove the pan from the heat. Stir briskly to emulsify the sauce. This will make a simple red wine sauce.  Taste and season.

To plate - place a quantity of mashed potatoes on each plate. Slice the steak and arranges slices on top of the mashed potatoes. Drizzle the sauce over top. Arrange watercress on the side. Drizzle the plate with good quality extra virgin olive oil.

Beef Barley Soup

ARGH . . . . Will it ever end?

Oh no, I have turned into my grandfather who always complained about the weather. Move on Jerry, move on.

For me one of the perfect antidotes for cold weather is a pot of soup bubbling away on the stove.  This is comfort food. One of the nicest things about soup is the way you can practically toss anything in the pot and the final result will still be great . . . got some mushrooms laying about the fridge? Dump them in. When I made this I had some leftover Kale from my Bean and Kale soup so I added it. YUM

This soup was hearty and flavourful. I had forgotten how much I had enjoyed barley soup as a child. 'Tis the funny, the things which stick with you over the decades.

Beef Barley Soup

Cooking spray
2 pounds beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 cups chopped leek (about 4 medium)
2 cups chopped carrot
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 bay leaves
2 (14-ounce) cans less-sodium beef broth
1 cup uncooked pearl barley

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add half of beef; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining beef.

Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add leek, carrot, and garlic; sauté 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Return beef to pan. Add water and next 5 ingredients (through broth); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Add barley; cook 30 minutes or until beef and barley are tender. Discard bay leaves.

8 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

CALORIES 308(30% from fat); FAT 10.1g (sat 3.3g,mono 4.4g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 26.9g; CHOLESTEROL 71mg; CALCIUM 48mg; SODIUM 548mg; FIBER 5.4g; IRON 4.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 26.7g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2005

Braised Beef with Mushrooms and Red Wine

Yes, it is still the 'Great White North' here in Canada. It seems everytime I turn around more snow is falling. I've had enough. One of the few ways to beat the bad weather is a hot meal that has been simmering on the stove for hours. Well, there are other ways but we'll just not mention those for now, this is a family blog!

This recipe for slowly braised beef served over noodles seemed like a sure thing to fight off the 'will winter ever leave blahs . . .' It was!

You can add a teaspoon or two of ground dried porcini mushrooms (i popped in a porcini boullion cube I brought back from Italy last fall) along with the broth and red wine to give the dish an extra layer of mushroom flavor. The more meaty, earthy-tasting mushrooms such as porcini or black trumpet are ideal to use. We served this over egg noodles.

Braised Beef with Mushrooms and Red Wine

1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 ounce)
1 cup boiling water
1 1/4 pounds lean beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup pearl onions (about 16)
6 cups chopped cremini mushrooms (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 cups (1/4-inch) slices carrot (about 2 large)
1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup dry red wine
4 thyme sprigs
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Combine porcini mushrooms and 1 cup boiling water in a small bowl; let stand 30 minutes. Drain mushrooms through a sieve into a bowl, reserving liquid. Chop mushrooms; set aside.

Sprinkle beef with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half of beef to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned on all sides. Remove beef from pan with a slotted spoon; place in a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining beef.

Add onions to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add cremini mushrooms and carrot; sauté 3 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add beef, porcini mushrooms, porcini liquid, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, broth, and next 4 ingredients (through bay leaves); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Uncover and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add cornstarch mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until liquid thickens. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

CALORIES 307 (30% from fat); FAT 10.3g (sat 3.8g,mono 4.3g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 33.5g; CHOLESTEROL 88mg; CALCIUM 47mg; SODIUM 716mg; FIBER 3.5g; IRON 4.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 19.9g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2007

Strip Loin Steak with Blue Cheese Crust and Red Wine Sauce

For Valentine's Day (has it been two weeks already?) dinner Palma posted about serving steaks with gorgonzola on top. I immediately started craving the wonderful flavour combination of red meat combined with blue cheese. When it was Paul's next turn to cook dinner he asked me what I wanted and I said steaks with a blue cheese crust!

He searched about on the net and found this recipe at the Bon Appetit Magazine site. The recipe originally appeared back in 2003 in their RSVP section. This is the section where readers write about a wonderful meal they enjoyed at a restaurant and request the magazine to obtain a particular recipe.

This was one of the menu items enjoyed by a reader at Redstone American Grill in Minnetonka, Minnesota. It is also an item much enjoyed by us here at home. Paul followed the recipe as described below with one exception, we used 1 inch thick strip loin steaks rather than filet.

Blue-cheese-crusted Steaks with Red Wine Sauce

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) chilled butter
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large shallot, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
3/4 cup low-salt beef broth
1/2 cup dry red wine

1/2 cup coarsely crumbled Maytag blue cheese (about 2 ounces)
1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)*
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

4 1-inch-thick filet mignon steaks (each 6 to 8 ounces)

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, shallot, and thyme. Sauté until shallot is tender, about 5 minutes. Add broth and wine. Boil until sauce is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 12 minutes. Set sauce aside.

Blend cheese, panko, and parsley in small bowl to coat cheese evenly with panko.

(Sauce and cheese mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.)

Preheat broiler.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Add steaks to skillet and cook to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to rimmed baking sheet; reserve skillet. Press cheese mixture onto top of steaks, dividing equally. Broil until cheese browns, about 2 minutes. Transfer steaks to plates.

Pour sauce into reserved skillet.

Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Boil 2 minutes. Whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce around steaks and serve.

*Available at Asian markets and in the Asian section of some supermarkets.

Beef Lover's Cooking Class

One of our favourite Christmas presents was a series of cooking/martini making classes offered by the LCBO. Today Paul and I had a two hour demonstration cooking class - A Beef Lover's Menu. You may recall previous posts about classes we have taken which were offered by the LCBO.

For those of you who aren't from Ontario, this is our government run liquor monopoly. It is the largest purchaser of wine and spirits in the world and at the same time it pumps billions of dollars into the government coffers and provides Ontarians with an excellent supply of wine and liquor (to say nothing of funding health care and education). Over the past few years they have really focused on the education side of wine and liquor . . . cooking and the appropriate wine pairings is a natural extension.

The LCBO store near our house is equipped with a large room where they hold tastings and cooking demonstrations three or four times a week. Previously we have taken a cooking class, a summer blender drink class, A Mid-summer Feast From Niagara, a martini class , a wine tasting class of Beringer Wines, a Fall Flavours Class, and a Taste of Italy. Our next class is a tropical themed martini class in March.

There’s nothing like the taste of premium meat prepared to absolute perfection. Freelance Chef Jonathan (Jono) McDonough had plenty of helpful advice as he prepared food that was delicious, nutritious and easy to prepare. He explained the secrets of buying and preparing great cuts of beef for different cooking styles, meat-related terminology. We sampled marinated beef Carpaccio, slow-braised short ribs with Armagnac, apples and celeriac, and succulent aged Rib eye steak with Cabernet au jus. Dessert was also be served - it was meat-free, thank goodness, a wonderful individual molten chocolate cake.

The LCBO product consultant had selected a number of wines to go with each course. With the carpaccio we had a Ripassa Valpolicella Superior, with the short ribs and steak we enjoyed a Chateauneuf du Pape, and with the chocolate cake she served a Desiree Chocolate Dessert Wine by Rosemblum. We were amazed by the dessert wine. Conceived as a delicious Californian interpretation of the great Port wines, the Désirée Chocolate Dessert Wine was an exotic blend of Zinfandel, along with two of Portugal’s classic grape varieties and an infusion of rich, opulent chocolate. WOW It was dessert all on its own.

We bought two bottles of the Ripassa Superior (which we enjoyed far more than the more expensive Chateauneuf du Pape) and one bottle of the Desiree. It will be perfect with our Valentine's Day Dinner.

Cabernet Braised Short Ribs

Because the post-Christmas diet frenzy starts tomorrow (I give myself a week after I return to work to wean myself off all the things that are bad for me and then go all out) I decided to make short ribs. This not a recipe I'd make while I was trying to watch my weight because this is quite a fatty cut of meat. That aside, in my mind there are few treats as satisfying as a plate of meltingly tender short ribs on some mashed potatoes with a flavourful sauce. WOW

Short ribs available in the stores in Canada are not the same as those in the US or even in restaurants here. Instead of a long meaty bone you get a strip of meat with the rib bones embedded. I separated each of the ribs separately before making this recipe.

Cabernet Braised Short Ribs

6 beef short ribs
salt, white pepper and black pepper
1/2 c olive oil
1/2 c flour
2 med. onions, chopped
3 med. carrots, chopped
3 shallots, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 dried chilies, seeds removed
3 T tomato paste
1/4 bunch thyme
3 c red wine
2 quarts beef or veal stock

Season ribs with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour.

Pour the oil into large dutch oven and heat on med high. Add ribs & sear all sides, then remove from pot and set aside.

Add the vegetables, garlic & chilies to the pan. Lower heat, season with salt and pepper then cook until tender. Raise heat and add paste. Caramelize for 3 min.

Add the wine to deglaze the pan. Cook over a high heat until the liquid is reduced by half.

When reduced add the stock. Arrange the ribs in the pot and bring to boil.

Turn off the heat, add thyme, then cover pot with lid or foil.

Cook in 250 degree oven for 3 hours or until the meat is tender.

Remove the ribs from the pot and cover with foil.

Strain the liquid over a large bowl to remove veggies. Discard veggies.

Cool the liquid in the bowl so that the fat solidifies on top. Remove as much of the fat as you can.

Pour the liquid back into the pan and heat over a high heat until reduced by 2/3. Stir in 2 tablespoons of butter.

Gremolada:

Equal parts chopped parsley, garlic & lemon zest

To plate: arrange a serving of ribs (1 large rib or two smaller ribs) on a bed of masked potatoes. Pour about 1/4 cup of the sauce over the ribs. Sprinkle the gremolada on top.

Enjoy

You could also serve the short ribs on polenta of noodles.

Pancetta Wrapped Beef Tenderloin with Port-Balsamic Sauce

I've had a number of requests for the beef recipe I served for dinner on Christmas Day. I apologize for the picture above as it doesn't show the beef as well as it could but you can get the idea. As I have said before, I am not a professional food photographer - if you want that go here.

I think I've mentioned before that my family is big on tradition. If it works once than darn-it, why ever change? Christmas dinner is like that. A turkey is expected to make an appearance on the table. A few years back I was hosting 8 for dinner and decided to do a rib roast instead.

Oh oh

You wouldn't believe the whining (mostly from my dear sister Rose)! In fact, family members still talk about the time Jerry served roast beef for Christmas dinner.

Get over yourself I say! Earlier this fall I had the December Fine Cooking magazine out when mom was over. It featured some lovely beef tenderloin recipes. She admired one and I mentioned 'that might be nice for Christmas dinner . . ."

Wonders of wonders she agreed. The next time beef tenderloin was on sale I bought one and stuck it in the freezer.

In the end I didn't use the recipe from Fine Cooking because it featured chicken livers. Flashbacks of 'liver night' as a child came crashing back so I knew I would have to look elsewhere. I found this recipe on the Food and Wine site. The sauce recipe I adapted from one found on the Bon Appetit site. The best thing about this roast was the short cooking time. I prepped it first thing int he morning and then stuck it in the oven later int he day when we were munching on appetizers, sipping martinis, and opening gifts.

I served the beef on the Individual Yukon Gold and Gruyere Galettes and poured the sauce over. It was great. Far better than any old turkey.

For the beef:

2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
2 cups boiling water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 scallions, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
One 3-pound center-cut trimmed beef tenderloin in 1 piece
3 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
7 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, chilled

Preheat the oven to 450°. Soak the porcini in the boiling water for 20 minutes. Rub the porcini in the soaking liquid to remove any grit; pat dry and coarsely chop. Transfer the porcini to a mini food processor and puree.

Melt the butter in a medium skillet. Add the shallots and cook over moderately low heat until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the scallions and cook until softened, 2 minutes. Stir in the porcini puree. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool.

Season the roast with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet. Sear the roast over moderately high heat until browned all over; let cool.

On a work surface, slightly overlap 3 16-inch pieces of wax paper. Arrange the pancetta on the paper in 4 overlapping rows to form a rectangle the length of the tenderloin. Spread the porcini puree over the pancetta. Set the tenderloin on the bottom edge of the pancetta. Using the wax paper as a guide, tightly roll up the roast in the pancetta. Carefully peel off the wax paper. Tie the roast with kitchen string at 1-inch intervals. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and brush with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil.

Roast the beef for 25 minutes, or until the pancetta is crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the meat registers 120°. Let rest for 10 minutes. Cut off the strings and remove. Thickly slice the roast with a serrated knife and serve.

The sauce:

1 cup ruby Port
1 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons butter

Boil Port, wine, and balsamic vinegar in heavy small saucepan until mixture is reduced to 2/3 cup, about 8 minutes. Set aside.

Add Port mixture and vinegar to same pan the tenderloin was roasted in and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Boil until reduced to sauce consistency, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the 2 tablespoons butter and whisk just until melted. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer beef to plates. Spoon sauce over and serve.