Beef and Pasta with Cream Sauce

Serves 3 or 4 depending on how much they eat.

Start a large pot of water to boil when you put the meat in. This water is to prepare the Fettuccine and you can find details on the pasta box. When the water boils add 1/2 pound dry Fettuccine while taking care of the sauce. Cook to just before al-dente as it will cook a bit more in the sauce.

Meanwhile ...

• 3 pieces of 3/8" thick Beef Tenderloin sliced
• Salt - sprinkle over both sides of the meat
• Fresh ground black pepper - sprinkle on more than you think you should but don't coat it
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Brown 90 secs on each side on med heat in 12" skillet. It should sizzle when you add it to the pan. Take the meat out and set aside.

• 1 shallot sliced into very thin rings
• 3 med white or crimini mushrooms sliced very thin
• 1 garlic clove chopped or well crushed
• 1 Tbsp butter

Sauté until soft and shallot is translucent. Remove from pan and set aside.

• 1/3 cup small broccoli florets (or use more if you like) (optional: replace with broccoli rape or brocolini)
• 1 Tbsp butter

Sauté until it turns very green. It won't take long. Remove from pan and set aside.

• 3/4 cup red wine
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 beef bullion cube (1 tsp granules) (You can use a cup of beef broth if you like but reduction will take longer. Also, since it is less salty, be sure to check the salt just before adding the pasta at the end. Add salt then if required.)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Pinch of dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp capers
• 1 bay leaf

Add and reduce on high heat by 1/2. You have to keep stirring it or it will burn. Bring heat down to med when reduction is done. If you taste it, it should be tangy and a too salty. We will add some more things to thin down the salt taste. (Somewhere during this time the water should boil if your stove and pan are similar to mine. If not, you may have to start the water to heating earlier or later. When it boils. Toss in the pasta. Stir some to keep the pasta from sticking to the pan.)

• 1 cup heavy cream (Milk doesn't work. Low-fat sour cream tastes totally different. If you are keeping your fat intake down, don't eat as much sauce.)

Add cream to reduced broth and wine in skillet. Add vegetables set aside earlier. Do NOT add the meat. Simmer a bit.(Say, about 2 minutes.) Stir enough to avoid burning but not constantly.

Remove the bay leaf. Add the meat you set aside earlier. Stir to cover meat. Add pasta and simmer a minute or two to soak flavors into that pasta.

Serve immediately. Everyone should get some pasta, meat, broccoli and sauce.