Beef Tenderloin with Brandied Cherries and Peas

Beef Tenderloin with Brandied Cherries and Peas

By Brud Holland

Makes 6

Six 4-ounce beef tenderloin steaks

1/2 cup brandied cherry juice*

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon butter

2 cloves garlic, sliced thin

1 cup brandied cherries, pitted*

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

1 cup fresh peas

2 tablespoons canola oil

Chives and/or pea shoots, chopped, for garnish

Place the steaks in a small roasting pan. Pour over the brandied cherry juice and season the steaks with salt and pepper. Allow to marinate 2-3 hours or overnight.

In a small skillet on medium heat, add the butter and garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add the cherries and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally to heat through. Remove from the pan and keep warm in a small dish.

To the same pan add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the peas and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 1-2 minutes or until the peas are tender and vibrant green. Remove from the pan and keep warm in a small dish.

In a cast iron skillet on high heat, add the canola oil and sear the tenderloin steaks for about 2 minutes on each side or until browning can be seen around the edge. Remove from the pan and rest on a warm platter.

Place the steaks in the center of a warm plate. Divide the cherries and the juice between the middle of the 6 steaks. Spoon the peas around the steaks. Garnish with fresh chopped chives and/or pea shoots.

*Brandied Cherries

Lately, cherries have been in short supply with the extreme winters we’ve been having. But on years when cherries are plentiful I can’t resist making a few jars of brandied cherries to break out when the wood stove gets cranked up again. If I get right on them that first week in July, sometimes I’ll break them out for a dinner (like the Seared Beef Tenderloin with Brandied Cherries and Peas above). Sometimes they’re just too hard to hang on to.

Makes 1 quart jar

1 pound tart or sweet cherries, stems off (not pitted)

16 ounces brandy

1 cup granulated sugar 

Fill a 1 quart mason jar with cherries.

In a small saucepan on medium heat, warm the brandy and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Pour mixture over the cherries and cover with lids and bands. These cherries are not canned and should be kept in the refrigerator for 1 month before using.

Brud Holland is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute and lives in Watkins Glen with his wife Shari and 3 kids. Having been part of the food and wine scene here in the Finger Lakes for 30+ years, he draws on experiences from a wide variety of culinary escapades that include bakery owner, restaurateur, food product developer, teacher, and genuine promoter of all things grown and made in the Finger Lakes.

This recipe appeared in our July/August 2015 issue.

Photo by Aran Holland