Grill the tournedos, and dish them in a circle, each on a fried, hollowed-out crust, garnished with truffled Soubise.
On each tournedos set a large slice of truffle coated with meat-glaze.
[1140—FILETS EN CHEVREUIL]
For the “en chevreuil” treatment, the meat used is generally cut from the narrowest end of the fillet of beef. The weight of the pieces cut should average about three oz. each.
After having slightly flattened and trimmed them, lard them with very thin strips of bacon, and [marinade] them for a few hours in the raw [marinade] given under No. [169]. When about to cook them, dry them thoroughly, and fry them quickly in hot oil, taking care that the latter be smoking, and therefore hot enough to set the meat and to cause its external moisture to evaporate.
The fillets may be accompanied by all vegetable purées and highly-seasoned sauces, the most suitable of the latter being the Poivrade and the Chasseur.
[1141—SIRLOIN OF BEEF (Relevé)]
Sirloin of beef is that part of the bullock’s back reaching from the haunch to the floating ribs, which is equivalent to the saddle in veal and mutton. This piece, however, cannot properly be called “sirloin,” except when it comprises the fillet or undercut, and the upper fillet (Fr.: contrefilet), so-called to distinguish it from the undercut. If this joint be treated whole, it need only be shortened by suppressing the flank, and by sectioning the ligament lying alongside of the chine on the upper fillet, in different places.
A little fat is left on the undercut, but none whatever must be removed from the upper fillet. As a rule, when sirloin of beef is braised, it is cut laterally into pieces weighing from [378] ]six to seven lbs. If it is to be roasted, it is best to keep it whole.
When served as a relevé, it is braised or roasted, and is kept underdone if so desired. Unless it be of excellent quality, however, braised sirloin generally turns out to be dry.