Salting the beef 24 to 36 hours in advance enhances flavor and texture.

Ingredients:
Beef:
1 4- to 5-pound trimmed whole beef tenderloin, tail end tucked under, tied every 3 inches
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

Sauce:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
3 tablespoons Cognac or brandy
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper
1 cup ruby or tawny Port
Simple Homemade Beef Stock

Roasting:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons black peppercorns, coarsely cracked in mortar with pestle or in resealable plastic bag with mallet

Directions:
For beef:
Sprinkle entire surface of beef tenderloin with coarse kosher salt. Place beef on rack set over large rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered at least 24 hours and up to 36 hours.

For sauce:
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add shallots; sauté until soft, 3 minutes. Add Cognac, rosemary, and 1 teaspoon cracked pepper and cook until liquid evaporates, 1 minute. Add Port; bring to simmer. Add all of beef stock. Boil until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 20 minutes. Strain into medium saucepan, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids in strainer.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 24 to 36 hours ahead. Cool slightly, then cover and chill.

For roasting:
Let beef stand at room temperature 1 hour before roasting. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 425°F. Rub beef all over with oil; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cracked peppercorns, pressing to adhere. Return beef to rack on baking sheet and roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 125°F for medium-rare (135°F to 140°F in thinnest part), about 30 minutes. Remove roast from oven and let rest 15 minutes.

Bring sauce to boil; whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Cut off string from roast. Cut roast crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices; arrange on platter. Serve with sauce.

Makes 10 servings

Ingredients:
3 (12- to 14-oz) boneless rib-eye steaks (1 1/2 inches thick)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Italian frying pepper, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder (not pure chili)
2 cups corn (from 4 large ears)
1/2 lb cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Directions:
Pat steaks dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté steaks, turning over once, 10 to 12 minutes total for medium-rare. Transfer to a plate and keep warm, covered with foil.

Pour off fat from skillet, keeping any brown bits in skillet, and return to moderately high heat. Add butter, onion, and frying pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally and scraping up brown bits, until onion is golden, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and chili powder and sauté, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in corn and cover skillet. Cook until corn is just tender, about 3 minutes. Remove lid, then add tomatoes and sauté, stirring, until tomatoes just begin to soften, about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in any meat juices on plate, basil, lime juice, and salt to taste.

Transfer steaks to a cutting board, and then cut across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Serve with tomato corn salad.

Yields 6 to 8 main-course servings. Active Time: 30 min. Total Time: 40 min.

From Bon Appétit, February 2001

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon drained capers, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 1 1/2-pound skinless salmon fillet (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick)
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:
Whisk first 6 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut three 1/2-inch-deep slits crosswise in top of salmon (as if dividing into 4 equal pieces but do not cut through). Arrange asparagus in even layer on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and turn to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place salmon atop asparagus; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until salmon is just opaque in center, about 20 minutes.

Transfer asparagus and salmon to platter. Spoon sauce over salmon. Cut into 4 pieces along slits and serve.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: calories, 336; total fat, 18 g; saturated fat, 3 g; cholesterol, 96 mg. Nutritional analysis provided by Bon Appétit

Tri-tip is flavorful and well-marbled, but because it's really a roast rather than a steak, salt and seasonings don't affect it the same way they do a thinner cut. That's where this Mediterranean-inspired relish comes in. The combination of roasted red pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, and capers adds savor to every bite.

Yield: Makes 4-6 servings
Active Time: 35 min
Total Time: 1 1/4 hr

Ingredients:
1 red bell pepper
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons drained capers, chopped
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted and coarsely ground
1/2 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
1 (2- to 2 1/2-pounds) tri-tip beef roast (also called triangular roast; about 2 inches thick)
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped basil

Directions
Make roasted-pepper mixture:

Roast bell pepper on rack of a gas burner over high heat (or broil 2 to 3 inches from heat), turning with tongs, until skin is blackened, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and tightly cover, then let stand 20 minutes. Peel, then discard stem and seeds. Chop pepper and return to bowl.

Mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt, then stir into roasted pepper with sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, capers, zest, juice, fennel seeds, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.