Pepper-and-Herb-Crusted Filet

Ingredients

• 8 garlic cloves, peeled 
• 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for searing 
• 1 tablespoon Condimento Barili Exclusivi, plus more for drizzling
• 1 tablespoon fresh coarsely cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh rosemary needles from a 3- or 4-inch sprig 
• 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
• One 3-pound center-cut beef tenderloin, trimmed as needed

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 450ºF. In a small food processor, process the garlic and salt until the garlic is finely chopped. Add the 1/3 cup olive oil, vinegar, black pepper, thyme, and rosemary, and process until the herbs are evenly chopped. Stir in the mustard and set aside.

Step 2

Heat a large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, add the 2 tablespoons olive oil and then the beef, searing it on all sides until nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side, making quarter turns with tongs. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let cool slightly.

Step 3

Coat the tenderloin evenly on all sides with the reserved herb mixture, and then transfer it to a meat rack set in a roasting pan. Roast it until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness on an instant-read thermometer, about 20 to 30 minutes for medium-rare (depending on its thickness). Let it rest for at least 10 minutes to seal in the juices before you carve it into thick slices. Serve with a drizzle of pan juices and a few drops of vinegar.