This always works for a celebration dinner. ROASTED SURF 'N' TURF 2 lobster tails 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. seafood seasoning 1 (3 lb.) whole beef tenderloin 1 Tbs. melted butter or margarine 1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice 6 slices bacon 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions (scallions) 1 clove garlic, finely minced 1/2 lb. Mushrooms, thinly sliced 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (optional) or 1 tsp. chopped fresh or 1/4 tsp. dried tarragon (optional) Place lobster tails, salt and seafood seasoning in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from water and drain. Let cool until able to be handled. Carefully remove lobster tails from shells, keeping meat in one piece. Cut each piece of lobster meat in half lengthwise and set aside. Cut a horizontal pocket through the center of meat to within 1/2 inch of opposite side of tenderloin, slicing the entire length of tenderloin. Carefully stuff lobster pieces, end to end, inside tenderloin. Combine the 1 Tbs. melted butter and lemon juice; Drizzle on lobster. Fold over tenderloin to resemble original shape and tie with butcher's twine. Set aside. Cook bacon in a skillet until slightly crisp; drain, reserving drippings. Crumble bacon; set aside. Put beef in shallow pan and brush entire surface of meat with bacon drippings. Insert meat thermometer in center of roast so the point is right below the lobster, making sure it doesn't go all the way through and touch the pan. Bake at 400 degrees for approx. 25 minutes or until thermometer registers 130 degrees (rare). While roast is cooking, saute shallots, green onions, garlic and mushrooms in 1/2 cup butter. Add wine and Worcestershire sauce or tarragon (but not both). Simmer until roast is ready. To serve, remove twine and sprinkle top of meat with crumbled bacon. Serve sauce with sliced tenderloin. Note: The roast can be stuffed earlier in the day and refrigerated (uncooked). Add a few minutes more cooking time if made ahead. The sauce can also be made ahead and reheated.

Here is a great one from Ina Garten. You can skip the sauce if you want. I wouldn't as it is wonderful. David FILET OF BEEF Serves 8 to 10 1 whole filet of beef (4 to 5 pounds), trimmed and tied 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper 1. Heat oven to 500. Place beef on a baking sheet; pat the outside dry with a paper towel. Spread butter on with your hands. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Roast for exactly 22 minutes for rare and 25 minutes for medium rare. 2. Remove from oven; cover tightly with foil and allow to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. Remove the strings and slice the filet thickly. Serve with Gorgonzola Sauce. Gorgonzola Sauce Copyright, 2001, Barefoot Contessa Parties!, All rights reserved Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 50 minutes Yield: 3 cups 4 cups heavy cream 3 to 4 ounces crumbly Gorgonzola (not creamy or "dolce") 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley Bring the heavy cream to a full boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, then continue to boil rapidly for 45 to 50 minutes, until thickened like a white sauce, stirring occasionally. Off the heat, add the Gorgonzola, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and parsley. Whisk rapidly until the cheeses melt and serve warm. If you must reheat, warm the sauce over low heat until melted, then whisk vigorously until the sauce comes together.

GREAT thread--there's a lot of good recipes here so thanx for starting it! these were a summertime treat when i was growing up in central NY and might be sort of an acquired taste: Salt Potatoes Put 5# of small potatoes into about 2 quarts of water Add about 2/3 C of salt Boil until the potatoes are fork tender Serve with plenty of butter For a variation, cut the above into halves Pan-fry over low heat in olive oil to which you have added 8 or 10 bay leaves cut in half, turning several timeswhen they are crispy and browned, serve or, add a tablespoon of sugar and a little chopped basil and cook for another minute or two (can also be wrapped in foil and grilled). The differences in flavors is really quite good! this is from daisy--very tasty but the color of the finished dish is a little dark... Spiced Potato and Basil Gratin 6 medium boiling potatoes 2 cups loosely packed fresh sweet basil leaves 2 1/2 cups heavy cream 1 tablespoon ground coriander seeds 1 teaspoon each salt, black pepper, mace and allspice 125g Swiss or domestic provolone cheese, grated Preheat oven to 190C. Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and cool to room temperature. When cool enough to handle, remove the skins and cut the potatoes into 3mm slices. Arrange one-third of the potato slices in a thin layer on the bottom of a round 22cm baking dish rubbed lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle one-third of the basil over the potatoes. Cover with half of the remaining potatoes and the remaining basil. Finally, top with the remaining potatoes. Combine the cream and spices in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle the mixture over the potatoes. Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until the cream is thick and the potatoes are very tender. Sprinkle the cheese over the top; bake for 5 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. i'm sorry i didn't make a note at the time i copied these recipes quite a few years ago but i believe they probably both are from one of the frugal gourmet's books. in any case, they certainly are T & T in our household! swedish hasselback potatoes 6 medium baking potatoes 1/4 C melted butter 1/4 C grated parmesan 2 T dry bread crumbs salt & pepper paprika place the potatoes on a large spoon and cut partway through them in 1/4" slices. place cut side up in a greased, 11 x 7 baking dish, brush with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. bake @ 375 for 45 minutes (or bake with a roast for 1 hour @ 325). mix together the cheese and the bread crumbs and sprinkle onto the potatoes. bake until tender--another 20 or 30 minutes. Portuguese herbed potatoes 6 new potatoes 6 whole bay leaves 2 T olive oil 2 T butter 1/2 tsp salt a few grindings of pepper pare a strip of skin off from the center of each potato. add potatoes and bay leaves to about 1" of boiling water. return to a boil and reduce heat, cover and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes. drain. heat the oil and butter in a 10" skillet and then return the potatoes and bay leaves to the skillet. stir and add salt & pepper. cook uncovered over medium heat until browned, about 10 or 12 minutes. serve. this is loosely based on a recipe from epicurious-- Potato Latkes ("sort of") Use leftover, mashed potatoes. If not, boil 5 or 6 red-skinned potatoes until tender and then roughly chop them, adding a little milk. Stir into the potatoes: 2/3 C of chopped leeks or shallots or onions Mix together and then add to the potato mixture: ½ C parmesan 1 egg 1 ½ to 2 tsp dried mint 1 tsp dried oregano ½ tsp salt ½ tsp pepper a package of chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry To the above, stir in: 1/3 C feta and enough bread crumbs so that the mixture will hold together lightly Form the above into small patties. Pan-fry them in a skillet on medium heat, lightly coated with olive oil for 5 or 6 minutes per side. if you like "oven french fries" or even plain oven roasted potatoes, just drizzle on a little truffle oil a few minutes before taking them out to serve. delicious! also, i don't make "gravies" very often. but i do like sauces and that includes salad dressings. if you have a sauce that you enjoy, just pour it over plain old boiled potatoes. you just might have a new dish that you really like!

I have made this many times and it's a good special occasion dish. ROASTED SURF ÂNÂ TURF 2 lobster tails 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. seafood seasoning 1 (3 lb.) whole beef tenderloin 1 Tbs. melted butter or margarine 1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice 6 slices bacon 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions (scallions) 1 clove garlic, finely minced 1/2 lb. mushrooms, thinly sliced 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (optional) or 1 tsp. chopped fresh or 1/4 tsp. dried tarragon (optional) Place lobster tails, salt and seafood seasoning in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from water and drain. Let cool until able to be handled. Carefully remove lobster tails from shells, keeping meat in one piece. Cut each piece of lobster meat in half lengthwise and set aside. Cut a horizontal pocket through the center of meat to within 1/2 inch of opposite side of tenderloin, slicing the entire length of tenderloin. Carefully stuff lobster pieces, end to end, inside tenderloin. Combine the 1 Tbs. melted butter and lemon juice; Drizzle on lobster. Fold over tenderloin to resemble original shape and tie with butcherÂs twine. Set aside. Cook bacon in a skillet until slightly crisp; drain, reserving drippings. Crumble bacon; set aside. Put beef in shallow pan and brush entire surface of meat with bacon drippings. Insert meat thermometer in center of roast so the point is right below the lobster, making sure it doesnÂt go all the way through and touch the pan. Bake at 400 degrees for approx. 25 minutes or until thermometer registers 130 degrees (rare). While roast is cooking, saute shallots, green onions, garlic and mushrooms in 1/2 cup butter. Add wine and Worcestershire sauce or tarragon (but not both). Simmer until roast is ready. To serve, remove twine and sprinkle top of meat with crumbled bacon. Serve sauce with sliced tenderloin. Note: The roast can be stuffed earlier in the day and refrigerated (uncooked). Add a few minutes more cooking time if made ahead. The sauce can also be made ahead and reheated.