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Beef Tenderloin Crostini with Béarnaise Sauce

Impress your guests with these quick and elegant Beef Tenderloin Crostini served with a rich and silky Béarnaise Sauce. Perfect for gatherings or a special treat at home.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American, French
Calories: 200

Ingredients
  

For the crostini and beef
  • 1 French baguette 1 French baguette, sliced on the diagonal into 20 slices
  • 2 tablespoons 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lb 1 lb beef tenderloin (filet mignon), trimmed
  • to taste Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons 2 tablespoons butter For cooking the beef
  • 1 clove 1 garlic clove, halved (optional, for rubbing the toasts)
  • to garnish Fresh chives or microgreens
For the béarnaise sauce
  • 3 large 3 large egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon dry white wine (or water)
  • 1 small 1 small shallot, minced
  • 2 tablespoons 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped (reserve a little for garnish)
  • 1/2 cup 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and kept warm
  • 1/2 lemon Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • to taste Salt and white pepper to taste
Optional finishing touch
  • to taste Flaky sea salt
  • a few drops A few drops of good-quality olive oil on toasted bread

Method
 

Preparation of the Baguette
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush both sides of each baguette slice lightly with olive oil. Arrange on a baking sheet and toast for 6–8 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp.
  2. If you like garlicky crostini, rub the warm toasts with a halved garlic clove once they come out of the oven.
Béarnaise Sauce
  1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the shallot, white wine vinegar, white wine (or water), and half the tarragon. Reduce until only about 1 tablespoon of liquid remains.
  2. In a heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the warm reduction. Place the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water (double boiler) making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Whisk constantly until the yolks thicken and become pale.
  3. Slowly drizzle in the warm melted butter while whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick and glossy. Stir in lemon juice, remaining tarragon, and season with salt and white pepper.
  4. If the sauce becomes too thick, whisk in a teaspoon of warm water. Keep warm but off the heat.
Cooking the Beef
  1. Pat the tenderloin dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy skillet (cast iron is ideal) over medium-high heat with the butter.
  2. When foaming, sear the tenderloin on all sides until nicely browned, about 2–3 minutes per side. For medium-rare, cook until an instant-read thermometer reads 125–130°F.
  3. Remove the beef to a cutting board and let it rest for 8–10 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain into medallions.
Assembling the Crostini
  1. Place a slice of beef on each toasted baguette round. Spoon a small dollop of béarnaise over the beef.
  2. Garnish with chopped chives or a tiny sprig of tarragon and a pinch of flaky sea salt.
  3. Arrange on a platter and serve immediately.

Notes

If you’re short on time, you can use a high-quality store-bought béarnaise or hollandaise and still end up with fabulous beef crostini. For a slightly different herb note, try half tarragon and half parsley. Best eaten right away; if you must hold them, keep toasted bread separate and assemble just before serving.