As I alluded to in my last blog posting, my family has quite the spread for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, however they are VERY different types of meals. For us, Christmas Day is busier. There’s the present unwrapping, relatives packing to head back home and often times travel to other homes for celebration with other parts of our family.

For us, Christmas Eve is the chosen night for quiet reflection on what the holiday means to us. We enjoy holiday music, the reading of some bible passages and the Night Before Christmas, as well as fantastic food – of course! Food has always been a way of celebrating in my family. Perhaps that’s why it is such a passion for me. Food means taking care of others. Food means showing them how much you care for them. Whether it is a breakfast or luncheon for girlfriends, a romantic dinner alone with my husband, our celebrated Dinner Club with friends, or the full fledged, elegant family dinner on Christmas Eve, food (in this family) exhibits love!

Notice I say that our Christmas Eve meal is “elegant”. That doesn’t mean we dress up! We’re in blue jeans or sometimes even pajama pants (if it’s been that kind of winter day), but the food is more upscale for us on Christmas Eve than on Christmas Day - which is more about turkey and casseroles. Each year, I center the Christmas Eve meal around an elegant beef entrée (we’re meat eaters in our group). A few years I’ve prepared prime rib roast, but more often we’ve kept with a special recipe that we had once and simply couldn’t forget - “Coffee Rubbed Filet of Beef with Pasilla Chile Broth”. The recipe appears below.

We discovered and prepared it one year and have pretty much stuck with it ever since. It was that special once-a-year type of dish that you look forward to. It’s also easy to make this dish the centerpiece of the meal and change the accompaniments from year-to-year to make it “fresh” each time. Last year, we enjoyed a roasted garlic soup before and paired it with a potato and Manchego cheese tart.

This year, I’m starting with a “White Root Vegetable Soup with Thyme Butter”. After that, the beef, paired with “Little Potato Trees” (a twice-baked potato piped into the shape of Christmas trees) and freshly steamed green beans. Earlier in the day, as an appetizer, we’re trying a new recipe for “Brie and Onion Marmalade Tarts” made with frozen puff pastry.

I look forward to this sparkling, quiet night each year; my family gathered round the table to reflect on the reason for the season and our love for one another. Make it a special celebration for your family too – in whatever way you love most! Happy Holidays!

Coffee Rubbed Filet of Beef with Pasilla Chile Broth

Found at: www.epicurious.com

Currently on: www.foodnetwork.com

Recipe courtesy Chef Robert del Grande, Cafe Annie, Houston, TX
Ingredients:

2 pounds beef filet (preferably cut from the large end of a whole filet) tied with butcher twine in 1/2-inch intervals
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons finely ground coffee beans (preferably espresso)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 large white onion, roughly chopped
4 to 8 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
2 pasilla chiles, stemmed, seeded and torn into large pieces
1 thick white corn tortilla, torn into pieces
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Directions:

Rub the meat well with 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Combine the ground coffee, cocoa powder and cinnamon and mix well. Spread the mixture over a work surface and roll the beef in it until coated evenly. Allow to marinate approximately 30 minutes at room temperature – it won't cook evenly if it's cold.

Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and sauté the onion and garlic cloves until nicely browned. Add chilies and tortilla pieces and lower the heat, gently sautéing until they are golden brown. Add the chicken stock. Bring the stock to a boil, then simmer, lightly covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the stock from the heat and allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Transfer the ingredients to a blender and puree for 1 minute or until smooth. Pass the sauce through a sieve to remove any coarse pieces. Add the cream, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and brown sugar and blend. The sauce should not be too thick. If too thick, add some more chicken stock or water; it should be a very light consistency. Reserve.

Place the beef on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Immediately lower the heat to 250 degrees F and roast for 20 minutes. Check the beef's internal temperature with a meat thermometer (125 degrees F for medium-rare, 135 degrees F for medium). If further cooking is necessary, return the beef to the oven (still set at 250 degrees F) and slowly roast to the desired temperature. Remove the beef from the oven and let rest for a few minutes. Before carving, remove the string.

To serve, slice the filet into 1/4-inch thick slices. Ladle the pasilla chile broth over the filet.