Château Briand with Bearnaise Sauce

Tonight I'm having a few friends over for supper to celebrate their engagement and I'm planning on making one of my favorite specialties, Château Briand with Bearnaise Sauce.

Château Briand is the classic french style of preparing a Tenderloin Roast and can be found at most french restaurants as a dish served for two.

When preparing it I always purchase a whole tenderloin roast from costco and cut it in half and then marinade it for a couple hours in the refrigerator.

Marinade:

• 1 cup olive oil
  
• 3 tablespoons freshly ground pepper
  
• 3 tablespoons fine sea salt
  
• 3 tablespoons tabasco or your favorite hot sauce
  
• 2 tablespoons sage
  
• 2 tablespoons thyme
  

After each side is seared in a large frying pan over high heat. I then lower the heat to medium and continue cooking it a lid over the pan for 5- 10minutes per side, until thermometer reads 135. Once done remove from pan and set aside covered loosely with tinfoil while you prepare the Bearnaise.

Bearnaise Sauce

• 2 shallots finely chopped
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
  
• 1 tablespoon snipped chervil (Can be substituted with 1/2 tablespoon parsley)
  
• Sprig of thyme
  
• Bay Leaf
  
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  
• 2 tablespoons white wine
  
• 1 egg yolk
  
• tiny pinch of flour
  
• 2 oz finely diced butter
  
• 1-2 drops fresh lemon juice (maybe omitted)
  
• salt
  
• freshly milled pepper
  

Put shallots, 1/2 the tarragon and chervil, thyme, bay leaf, vinegar, wine and a pinch of slat in a small sauce pan and boil until reduced and only 3/4 tablespoon remains. Remove it from the heat and allow to cool.
Add your egg yolk and 1/2 tablespoon of cold water to top of a double boiler and whisk constantly over hot water (NOT boiling.) Add a few pieces of butter at a time and whisk until smooth before adding more butter. When the sauce is thick add the rest of the tarragon, chervil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.