1/4 cup whole-grain mustard
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon dried savory, finely crumbled
1 tablespoon dried thyme, finely crumbled
1 whole filet of beef, (approximately 7 to 8 pounds untrimmed or 5 to 6 pounds trimmed)
Vegetable oil, for sauteing
Coarse salt, for searing
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, olive oil, savory and thyme. Trim the meat of all excess fat and silverskin. Cut the filet in half to make two equal pieces about 7 inches long. You’ll have one piece with the broad double-pieced butt portion and a thinner piece that tapers to a small tip. Tuck the tapered tip under and tie with twine to fashion two equally thick roasts. Tie each roast at 2-inch intervals.
Heat the oven to 450°F. Heat a heavy-duty roasting pan or large Dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in enough vegetable oil to just cover the bottom of the pan. Pat the fillets dry, salt them generously with coarse salt, and lay them in the pan; cook without disturbing them until the bottoms are a rich brown. Turn the beef and sear the other sides. It will take about 4 min. per side (there are three or four sides per roast) to get a good sear. When the fillets are seared, transfer them to a cutting board, brush them with the mustard and herb mix and then generously grind fresh pepper over them. Put a rack in the roasting pan, lay the meat on the rack and roast until the internal temperature reaches 120°F for medium rare, about 20 min. (Check after 15 min.; roasting time will vary depending on searing time.) Remove the fillets from the oven and let them rest in a warm spot for at least 15 min. before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes 10 servings.