At Bar Cañete, this dish is enjoyed as a small ritual: the beef tenderloin, pink and juicy, is gently bathed in butter and rosemary; the foie gras, barely seared, melts on contact; and the truffled demi-glace sauce falls thick and glossy, with that deep aroma that fills the table before the first bite. The potato cake, crisp on the outside and tender within, supports everything with elegance. A proposal designed for an unhurried Christmas dinner, a glass close at hand and long conversation.
Ingredients
Tenderloin
- 140 g of beef tenderloin
- Olive oil (as needed)
- Salt (as needed)
- 30 g butter
- 1 sprig of rosemary
Baked potato cake
- 2 medium floury potatoes
- Salt (as needed)
Sauce
- Truffled demi-glace sauce (as needed)
- Black truffle paste (a little)
Foie gras and finishing
- 60 g duck liver
- Maldon salt (as needed)
- Freshly ground black pepper (as needed)
- Finely chopped fresh chives (as needed)
Method
1) Baked potato cake
Peel and wash two medium floury potatoes. Slice them using a mandoline (or by hand) into thin julienne. Season and spread them over a tray lined with baking paper, making sure the layer is even. Bake for 40–50 minutes in convection mode at 200 ºC, fan speed 2. Once ready, cut a 7 x 10 cm rectangle and set aside.
2) Tenderloin: searing and rosemary glazing
Season the beef tenderloin and sear it rare in a pan with olive oil. At the final moment, add the sprig of rosemary and the 30 g of butter. Glaze the meat with this aromatic fat, basting it to give shine and aroma. Transfer to a tray.
3) Truffled demi-glace sauce
Remove the excess fat from the pan and add the demi-glace scented with a little black truffle paste. Let it combine and warm through, aiming for a smooth, glossy texture.
4) Final browning of the potato
Brown the potato base in a non-stick pan on both sides, to restore crispness and the right toasted colour just before serving.
5) Foie gras: seared without fat
Sear the duck liver (60 g) in a very hot pan with no added fat, on both sides. It should be well browned but rare, keeping the inside creamy.
6) Slicing and final preparation
Slice the beef tenderloin into six slices and overlap them to keep the original shape. Add Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper. Warm the potato base, the sliced beef tenderloin and the foie gras together on a tray.
Plating (finishing and presentation)
Plate by starting with the potato as the base. Place the sliced beef tenderloin on top and coat with the truffled demi-glace sauce. Finish with the foie gras on top of the tenderloin and season with Maldon salt, freshly ground black pepper and finely chopped fresh chives. For a clean visual touch, make sure the sauce falls centrally and the chives crown the foie without covering it.
A finale worthy of a festive table
When serving, let the dish reach the table still hot: the foie will finish yielding, the sauce will scent the air, and the beef tenderloin will show its doneness with confidence. It is one of those dishes that fit naturally into a Christmas meal, designed to be shared and enjoyed without noise. Tell us how yours turned out: at Bar Cañete classics are enjoyed… and also celebrated.
Discover how we prepare it in our YouTube video!
