Totally unexpected, beef medallion take-homes were a must recently, changing all dinner plans. And on a whim it became all about a favourite herb and celebrating its authentic flavour with melting butter— slow-er cooking and well done in the oven delights. Of course going the 'spiffy' cast iron pan-seared route is delicious too for a medium-rare choice. This time around I wanted the deep earthy warmth of the thyme to shine, and it truly delivered as a cozy winter main on a very chilly February weekend. Definitely a repeat dish before bidding the season farewell. Easy recipe after the jump, and happy Family Day on Monday! :)
♫ 'After 7 notes from our workweek...
Ingredients:
4 sirloin beef medallions
1 tablespoon fine Iodized (or Kosher) salt (+ extra)
1 tablespoon ground red cayenne (or black) pepper
1 tablespoon pure light olive oil
1 - 11/2 sticks (favourite) unsalted butter
a bunch of fresh thyme (gently rinsed & room temp dried)
Directions:
Gently pat the individual medallions dry with paper towels, leaving the centre strings on for baking (to help keep their shape). Generously season both sides with the salt and pepper. Add the olive oil to the medallions and gently massage to seal in the seasoning. Let the beef rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Set the oven to 425° F.
Place the medallions in a large enough baking dish and add 2 tablespoons of butter to the dish between the medallions.
Add a light extra sprinkle of salt, top each medallion with some fresh thyme, and add 1 tablespoon of butter on top of the thyme of each medallion.
Place the dish in the oven and bake uncovered for 20 minutes. At the 20 minute mark, top each medallion with another tablespoon of butter, loosely cover the dish with a sheet of foil and continue baking for 20 - 25 more minutes. At 10 minute intervals, base the medallions with the hot butter-thyme sauce in the dish.
Remove the dish from the oven and let the medallions relax for 5 minutes.
Carefully remove the strings before serving. ~xx