Beef tenderloin with black cherry-chocolate sauce and white chocolate mashed potatoes

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

1 teaspoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon olive oil

Half of a small white onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

½ cup black cherries, pitted and halved

½ teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

2 cups beef stock

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon each of: crushed red pepper, dried thyme, all- spice and cinnamon

½ cup aged sherry vinegar

Kosher salt and fresh-cracked pepper, to taste

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 pound high-quality white chocolate, finely chopped

1 teaspoon butter

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 (6-ounce) beef tenderloin filets

For the sauce: In a heavy bottomed, non-reactive saucepan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until translucent (about 4 minutes). Add cherries and ginger and saute for another minute. Add the stock, brown sugar, spices and sherry vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and stir thoroughly. Bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate and allow to rest.

Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, and reduce to aggressive simmer. While the potatoes are cooking, warm the cream and white chocolate by placing a glass or metal bowl atop saucepan the potatoes are cooking in -- but do not stir the cream and white chocolate. When the chocolate is melted, remove the bowl from the heat.

When the potatoes are tender, drain and allow to rest for a minute. Mash or rice potatoes directly into the cream-white chocolate mixture. Season lightly with salt and a grind or two of fresh pepper. Gently stir, but only after all ingredients are added. Cover and keep warm.

For the beef: Melt butter and olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Season the filets with salt and pepper and immediately add to the hot pan before the butter has a chance to brown. Cook 4 minutes without turning; flip and cook an additional 3 minutes on the other side. Remove from heat and cover with foil to keep warm.

Over low heat, deglaze the pan with the cherry sauce, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Do not allow sauce to boil. Serve filets topped with sauce immediately, alongside mashed potatoes.

Adapted from David Richards,

Sweets & Savories

Nutrition facts per serving: 793 calories, 57 g fat, 24 g saturated fat, 132 mg cholesterol, 35 g carbohydrates, 32 g protein, 90 mg sodium, 2 g fiber