Back around the time the earth cooled, there was a restaurant, Giordano’s, on West 39th Street near the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel. Craig Claiborne gave it three stars in his 1968 “New York Times Guide to Dining Out in New York.”Among the specialties was sautéed beef tenderloin, unusual because its sauce depended on white wine, not red. When I asked the chef about it, he said it was lighter that way.I had not made it in many years but as we tasted the 2004 Barolos and everyone’s appetite was whetted for pasta with a beef ragù and truffles, I thought of it. I decided to try it with venison and porcini to serve with fresh pasta. You’ll need some last-minute stove work before you can put it on the table and pour that Barolo.
ItalianDinner, Quick, Pastas, Appetizer, Main Course
Servings
2
2 servings
Total time
30 min
Calories / serving
812 kcal
Heat remaining oil in a 12-inch skillet. Add shallots and chopped porcini and sauté over medium heat until tender and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from pan. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for pasta.
04Heat 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter in skillet on medium-high, add venison and quickly sear on all sides. Remove from pan. Return shallots and porcini to pan and add reserved liquid. Simmer until somewhat reduced. Stir in remaining butter or truffle butter. Remove from heat.
05Boil pasta about 4 minutes, drain and add to skillet. Simmer contents of skillet briefly, tossing ingredients together, until heated through. Check seasoning. Add venison, toss again and serve garnished with thyme sprigs.