Herb Pepper-Encrusted Beef Fillet

An elegant roast fillet of beef encrusted in herbs and cracked black pepper and served with a creamy herbed mustard sauce.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 (3 pound) beef fillet, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 tablespoons dried rosemary
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt

Herbed Mustard Sauce:
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup tarragon vinegar
2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 finely chopped shallot
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
2. Pat fillet dry with paper toweling.
3. Place thyme, rosemary, peppercorns and salt in a small food processor or blender. Whirl to crush. Place mixture on waxed paper. Roll fillet in mixture until entirely coated. Place on a rack in a roasting pan. Sprinkle remaining herb mixture over top of fillet.
4. Roast fillet in heated 450°F (230°C) oven 40 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers an internal temperature of 145°F (60°C). for medium-rare. Remove from oven. Let rest 10 to 15 minutes before carving. If serving cold, cool to room temperature and then refrigerate.
5. Serve with Herbed Mustard Sauce.
6. For Herbed Mustard Sauce: Chill evaporated milk in freezer for 10 minutes.
7. Combine tarragon vinegar and Dijon mustard in a blender. Pour in chilled milk. With blender on, add oil in a slow, steady stream until well blended. Add tarragon, shallot, salt and pepper. Blend to combine.

Makes 8 servings.