Sun Dried Tomato And Pine Nut Stuffed Beef Tenderloin Food

SUN DRIED TOMATO AND PINE NUT STUFFED BEEF TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over a medium heat. Stir in pine nuts, and cook until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. Place shallots in the skillet. Cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes. Mix in garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, and cook 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, mix in pine nuts, bread crumbs, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside to cool.
• Slice the tenderloin lengthwise across the top about 2/3 of the way through the meat to create a pocket. Spread stuffing into the pocket. Wrap the tenderloin with kitchen twine to secure the stuffing, and transfer to a roasting pan. Rub the remaining olive oil over the surface of the meat. Season with salt and pepper.
• Roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue cooking tenderloin 20 minutes, or to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Remove from oven and let the meat rest for 15 minutes before serving.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO, PINE NUTS AND BASIL STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Cut a deep horizontal pocket in the side of each chicken breast. Make the pocket as large as you can without piercing the top or bottom of the breast. Rub pepper & salt over the breasts. Place 2 slices of tomato 1 teaspoon pine nuts and about 4 basil leaves in the pocket of each chicken breast. Secure the pocket with toothpicks threading along the side to close. Heat the oil in a heavy oven-proof skillet until it begins to smoke. Cook each side of the chicken until golden brown.
• Add the vinegar and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and gently simmer the chicken for 2 or 3 minutes per side until cooked through.
• Remove the chicken breasts from the skillet and keep in a warm oven or under a foil tent. Continue to cook the sauce until it is reduced to a thick syrup.
• Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce over each chicken breast. Garnish with fresh basil.