Recipe: Tournedos Rossini

Name: Tournedos Rossini
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: Tournedos Rossini for 4 people:4 hearts of Charolais beef fillet of approximately 180 g (6.25 oz) each; 4 slices of fresh foie gras of goose or duck of 50 g (1.75 oz) each; 1 beautiful black truffle (Mélanosporum) of 30 to 40 g (1.4 oz); 4 slices of bread lightly toasted; 1 dl of good red port; 10 cl (0.4 cup) of grapeseed oil; 3 dl (30 cl (1.25 cups)) of veal stock; 10 g (0.4 oz) of butter cut into small cubes; salt and freshly ground pepper

By chef patrick Asfaux 4.9/5 (98 reviews) · 🍳 109 made it

Prep 15 min

Cook 20 min

Total 35 min

Servings 4 serv.

For a great recipe to continue to live, it must evolve through the generations of cooks, here is my version of the tournedos Rossini which is not a dogma, but a personal reflection Tournedos Rossini is Charolais beef seared on both sides, topped with foie gras and truffle. Marinating overnight in grape seed oil lets flavors sink into the meat. Count 4 minutes total cooking time to keep the center pink. Porto reduced with veal stock makes a short, glossy sauce. Served on toasted bread slices, it's a special occasion dish.

Ingredients for 4 servings

Adjust for

servings

Tournedos Rossini for 4 people:

4 hearts of Charolais beef fillet of approximately 180 g (6.25 oz) each
4 slices of fresh foie gras of goose or duck of 50 g (1.75 oz) each
1 beautiful black truffle (Mélanosporum) of 30 to 40 g (1.4 oz)
4 slices of bread lightly toasted
1 dl of good red port
10 cl (0.4 cup) of grapeseed oil
3 dl (30 cl (1.25 cups)) of veal stock
10 g (0.4 oz) of butter cut into small cubes
salt and freshly ground pepper

Step-by-step directions

Chef Patrick's Comment

As an anecdote, it is said that the famous composer Gioacchino Rossini was in his time as well known for the quality of his music as for his culinary tastes which were said to be very refined, and so he imagined this recipe at the time based on beef and truffle and asked the chef of the "Café Anglais" (one of the greatest Parisian restaurants) to prepare it for him. Later, its foundations evolved to become a beef fillet heart topped with foie gras and a Madeira sauce with truf

Frequently asked questions

Can I replace the foie gras with something else?

Technically yes, but you lose the dish's identity. If you must, try a sautéed porcini slice in butter, that's tasty. Count 30 seconds per side. Honestly though, Tournedos Rossini without foie gras is a different dish entirely.

Why sear the tournedos only 2 minutes per side?

Because at 180g each, 2 minutes per side gives you a 50-52°C core (pink). The fillet keeps cooking on the foil-covered plate. Three minutes gets you close to rare, which won't work here. Check with a skewer: it should feel warm at the center.

Can I prep the tournedos the day before?

Yes, the oil marinade the evening before needs just 12-18 hours. But the fresh truffle in porto stays less than 24 hours. Foie gras preps only one hour before. Summary: meat the day before, sauces on the day.