Top Chef, Season 6, Episode 3, Elimination Challenge

12 Servings

Béchamel and Cauliflower Gratin

• ½ cup breadcrumbs

Mushroom Pan Jus

• 1 lb button mushrooms, cleaned and halved

Mushroom Pan Jus

• 2 white onions, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 head garlic, peeled and cloves halved
• 1 cup beef stock
• ¼ lb butter
• ¼ cup flour
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Beef drippings

Spice Rub (quantities to taste)

• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Dried rosemary
• Dried thyme
• Steak seasoning

• 3 lbs beef strip loin, trimmed of outer fat, reserve scraps

• ¼ cup olive oil

Béchamel and Cauliflower Gratin

• 1 cup white onion, minced

Béchamel and Cauliflower Gratin

• ½ lb butter

Béchamel and Cauliflower Gratin

• ½ lb flour

Béchamel and Cauliflower Gratin

• 1 gallon milk

Béchamel and Cauliflower Gratin

• 1 bay leaf

Béchamel and Cauliflower Gratin

• Pinch of nutmeg

Béchamel and Cauliflower Gratin

• 3 heads cauliflower, cut into florets

Béchamel and Cauliflower Gratin

• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450-degrees F. Make spice rub mixture to taste.

2. Coat beef loin with olive oil and generously season with spice rub. Roast in oven until internal temperature reaches 123-125-degrees F. Let rest and reserve pan drippings.

3. To make a standard béchamel, start by melting butter and sweating onions until translucent. Add flour and continue to stir until flour taste has cooked out. Slowly pour in milk whisk constantly to avoid lumps. Add nutmeg and bay leaf and simmer until nappe consistency. Remove bay leaf.

4. Add cauliflower florets into béchamel and cook until almost tender. Pour contents into a gratin or casserole dish. Season and top with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. Place in 375-degrees F oven and bake until browned on top (about 15 minutes). Remove from oven and let set before cutting.

5. In a separate pan, sauté scraps of meat and add onions, carrots, and garlic. Continue to stir until a nice brown color and add beef stock. Let simmer and reduce. Strain and reserve.

6. In a separate pan, sauté mushrooms in butter until tender. Remove mushrooms from pan and set aside. Caramelize julienned onions in the same pan scraping off mushroom fond. Add mushrooms back in along with pan drippings from the beef and reduced beef stock. Add flour to make a roux (add a little water if necessary). Cook on low for about 45 minutes until nappe consistency and flour is cooked out. Season and reserve.

To Serve:

1. Slice strip loin and plate.

2. Place cauliflower gratin next to beef.

3. Top beef with mushroom sauce.