unfinished business

The last thing you might want to do after hosting a large party is make dinner. But the day-after often offers up the most alluring ingredients, making it a shame not to cook up something special.

How often do the components for beef tenderloin bourguignon so willingly present themselves? Personally I find it difficult to justify making a stew out of such an incredibly expensive cut of beef. But when the frig offers the possibility of cold tenderloin sandwiches or a bowl of something satisfying and sublime; I’ll reach for the soup pot every time.

Take 1” slices of cooked beef tenderloin and cut into cubes.

Don’t let the peeled pearl onions put you off. Boil the onions for three minutes. Shock in cold ice water. Cut off the ends, give a quick squeeze and presto-pronto-they are peeled.

Deglaze the pan with a big splash of red wine (hopefully there’s still enough for the cook to have a glass from your party’s bottle). Add the beef stock, tomato paste and thyme.

Slice up some mushrooms and carrots on the diagonal. Add the peeled onions. Simmer until the vegetables are just tender.

Thicken with a bit of roux (butter and flour, combined with a fork and whisked into the sauce).

Add the cooked cubed tenderloin and heat gently.

Now to reconstruct the deconstructed parts of the smoked trout stack. Flaked smoked trout mixed with a little whipped cream cheese, sour cream, scallion and chopped dill.

Break the wonton crisps into bite size “crackers” and top with trout pate and a sprig of dill.

Toss some emulsified dressing with a couple handfuls of arugula. Add a bakery fresh baguette.

You have a new app and main that’s anything but leftover.