Rare Beef Salad With Tarragon Aioli And Balsamic Dressing - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Beef
1 (1 1/2 lb) beef tenderloin
olive oil to rub beef
salt and pepper (to season)
Salad
7 ounces stringless baby green beans
4 roasted red bell capsicums
6 medium vine-ripened tomatoes
2 cups flatleaf fresh parsley leaves
6 cups assorted salad greens
5 slices robust bread (around 5 days old)
olive oil, to drizzle over bread
Reduced Balsamic Dressing
2 cups balsamic vinegar
1 cup port wine
1 tablespoon brown sugar
To serve
1 cup tarragon aioli (see Tarragon Aioli)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425F (220C).
While the oven is heating, bring the beef to room temperature, and make the balsamic dressing: Place the balsamic vinegar, port and brown sugar in a medium-sized sized saucepan, and stir. Bring to the boil, then immediately reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to less than 1 cup of syrup. Cool.
Rub the beef with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Tie it with kitchen string so that it retains its shape.
Heat a heavy, preferably non-stick skillet, and seal the meat on all sides.
Place seared beef on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 15 minutes, or longer to your preference. Allow it to rest, in a warm place, for 30 minutes.
While the oven is still on and the meat is resting, place the bread on a baking tray, drizzle or brush with olive oil, and bake until golden. Cool.
Meanwhile prepare the salad: Blanch the beans in boiling salted water for 2 to 3 minutes, until barely cooked. They should remain crisp. Refresh in hot water immediately, then drain. Peel and slice the roasted red bell peppers into bite-sized pieces. Skin, seed and dice the tomatoes.
Slice beef and transfer it to a suitable-sized serving bowl, along with the juices.
Add the salad ingredients - beans, bell peppers, tomatoes, parsley, salad greens, and bread - and mix together gently.
Fold through the tarragon aioli.
Serve drizzled with reduced balsamic.