Dictionary

Beef Rossini

Beef Rossini, otherwise known as Tournedos Rossini is a popular steak dish that originated in France. The rich and decadent dish is made from filet mignon (or beef tournedos) first pan-fried in butter and then served on a crouton. It is then topped with a slice of fresh whole foie gras pate and pan-fried again quickly before serving on the plate. The filet mignon is also sometimes wrapped in bacon, making the dish even more decadent.

Typically, Beef Rossini will also be garnished with sliced black truffle and Madeira demi-glace sauce. This sauce is made from Madeira wine that has been boiled down with brown stock and mushroom skins. Madeira sauce is known as ‘the great sauce’ and is an essential component of French cuisine. What adds to its extravagance is that it takes hours to prepare – so only the most serious of chefs can tackle a good madeira sauce. Beef Rossini is a classic dish in French haute cuisine (high cooking), found in many high end restaurants around the world. That said, it is relatively simple to prepare at home when you have the right ingredients and enough time to dedicate to it.

In modern culinary terminology, people often use the term Rossini to refer to the cut of beef. This could either mean a beef fillet, or several slices of beef that are first panfried and then roasted. A real Beef Rossini, however, must comprise of filet mignon, foie gras, truffle, and Madeira demi-glace.

Who invented Beef Rossini?

It is not certain who was the first person to cook Beef Rossini. The invention of the dish is typically attributed to master of French high cuisine, Marie-Antoine Careme, Adolphe Dulgere, or Savoy Hotel chef Auguste Escoffier. It is said that the dish was first made in Café Anglais in Paris. It was created for and named in honour of the Italian composer, Gioachino Antonio Rossini. Rossini was a friend, critic, and supporter of many of the greatest French chefs of his time, inspiring many dishes in his name. He was also believed to be an incredible cook and possess exquisite taste.

Do you want to prepare your own Beef Rossini at home? Impress your friends and treat loved ones by trying your hand at this classic French dish. Below you will find one of the most popular recipes for Beef Rossini.

 

Beef Rossini Recipe:

Beef Rossini ingredients: 

  • 4 beef tenderloin medallions (each weighing about 150 g)
  • 4 foie gras discs with a thickness of approx. 2 cm
  • 1 fresh black truffle weighing about 30-40 g
  • 30 g butter
  • 6 slices of toasted bread with a diameter similar to the width of beef medallions
  • 50 ml Madeira wine
  • Salt and pepper

A tournedos comes from a “filet de bœuf”, which is the fillet or tenderloin. This is the most expensive of all the cuts of beef. Only two steaks of the size required for the original tournedos can be cut from the fillet, and originally they were cooked together.

Foie gras is the fattened liver of a goose or a duck. In the original Tournedos Rossini recipe, the most expensive type of fattened liver was used, which was goose liver. This liver or foie gras will be gently fried in a pre-prepared beurre noisette. Beurre noisette is butter that has been cooked until it gains the colour of hazelnuts.

Important note: Fattened goose liver, just like fattened duck liver, is very fatty and will simply melt if anyone attempts to cook it well done.

Beef Rossini preparation: 

You can’t just decide to whip up a Beef Rossini on the day. It requires a bit of pre-planning. Here’s how to prepare Beef Rossini.

  1. A few days before preparing your tournedos, cut the truffle into thin slices and macerate it in grapeseed oil. If you have bought jarred truffle that is already sliced and soaking in oil marinade, then you can skip this step.
  2. On the day that you plan to cook the Beef Rossini, start preparing your tournedos by sprinkling the meat with salt and pepper on both sides. To keep a nice round section, you can cover each medallion with a thin slice of bacon and tie it around the edge with a string. After frying the meat, you can remove the bacon and the string. If you prefer to keep it, that’s up to you but it is not part of the classic Beef Rossini recipe.
  3. Melt half of the butter in a frying pan and grill the bread slices on each side until nicely toasted. Remove from the heat.
  4. Add the remaining 15g of butter to the pan and fry the medallions on both sides. It should take about 4 minutes for each medallion. You want to keep the meat inside medium-raw and still a little bloody, while making it nicely browned on the outside. You never want to cook the medallion well-done. After frying, put the medallions on a plate.
  5. Reduce the heat and fry the foie gras. When it is slightly browned, and the fat has been released, put the foie gras on the plate with the medallions.
  6. Deglaze the remaining juices with your sliced truffles and the madeira wine. Cook this sauce on high heat until it binds, mixing it with a whisk from time to time.
  7. To plate up, place a slice of bread on the plate and top it with the medallion and foie gras. Pour the sauce over the top.

Now enjoy your Beef Rossini, and share it with a loved one.

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