Filet of Beef Roasted with Coffee Beans in Pasilla Chile Broth
This Mexican chile pepper is called “Chilaca” when used fresh. In California the Poblano chile is often called Pasilla. Since most of these are bought and distributed from California this mislabeling often carries over into the supermarkets nationwide causing a lot of confusion. This chile is very mild and is usually consumed in the dry form to make the famous Mexican ‘mole’ sauces.
Ingredients:
2 pounds beef filet (preferably cut from the large end of a whole filet) tied with butcher twine in 1/2″ intervals
2 tsp. coarse salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. finely ground coffee beans (preferably espresso)
1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 large white onion, roughly chopped
4-8 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
2 pasilla chiles, stemmed, seeded and torn into large pieces
1 thick white corn tortilla, torn into pieces
2-1/2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. brown sugar
Instructions:
Rub the meat well with 1 tsp. of salt, pepper and olive oil.
Combine the ground coffee, cocoa powder and cinnamon and mix well. Spread the mixture over a work surface and roll the beef in it until the meat is coated evenly. Allow the meat to marinate approximately 30 minutes at room temperature – it wont cook evenly if its cold.
Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and saute the onion and garlic cloves until nicely browned. Add the chiles and tortilla pieces, and lower the heat. Gently saute until they are golden brown. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil, then simmer, lightly covered, for about 10 minutes. Remove the stock from the heat and allow to cool.
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Transfer the ingredients to a blender and puree for 1 minute or until smooth. Pass the sauce through a sieve to remove any coarse pieces. Add the cream, remaining 1 tsp. of salt and brown sugar and blend. The sauce should not be too thick. If too thick, add some more chicken stock or water; it should be a very light consistency. Reserve.
Place the beef on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Immediately lower the heat to 250F and roast for 20 minutes. Check the beefs internal temperature with a meat thermometer (125F for medium-rare, 135F for medium). If further cooking is necessary, return the beef to the oven (still set at 250F) and slowly roast to the desired temperature. Remove the beef from the oven and let rest for a few minutes. Before carving, remove the string.
To serve, slice the filet into 1/4″ thick slices. Ladle the pasilla chile broth over the filet.
Recipe courtesy of Chef Robert del Grande, Cafe Annie, Houston, TX.