Beef Tenderloin Crustini w/ Whipped Goat Cheese and Pesto - December 2018

Ingredients-

• ½ baguette, cut into ¼-inch pieces (24)
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 5 cloves garlic, divided
• 2 8-ounce pieces beef tenderloin
• Salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 1/3 cup pesto of your choice

For the Whipped Goat Cheese-

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 ounces goat cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch of salt

Preparation-

• Arrange baguette slices on large baking sheet. Lightly brush both sides with olive oil (about 2 tbsp) and sprinkle w/ salt.
• Place bread under broiler for 1-2 minutes on each side until lightly brown.
• Peel 1 clove of garlic and slice tip off. Rub the clove on one side of each toasted baguette slice. Set aside to cool.
• Pat the steaks dry & season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add steaks and cook for 4 minutes on each side for medium rare. When you turn the steaks after the first 4 minutes, smash 4 garlic cloves in their skins and add to skillet. Use a spoon to baste the steaks with the juices from pan.
• Remove steaks onto cutting board. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing don’t skip this step!
• While steaks are resting, there are two options: 1) Place all ingredients for the whipped goat cheese into a food processor until fluffy and smooth. 2) Place all ingredients in a bowl and beat with a hand mixer until fluffy and smooth. 2) Place all ingredients in a bowl and beat with a hand mixer until fluffy and smooth.
• To assemble the crostini, spread each baguette slice with whipped goat cheese. Top with a slice of steak and a small dollop of pesto.
• Serve immediately

Tried and true by the Platinum Crew. Enjoy! -Bianca