Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish Cream

Let beef come to room temperature before cooking for even doneness. Use an instant-read thermometer. Rest is essential—do not skip it.

The pairing of roast beef with horseradish has been a cornerstone of British cooking for at least four centuries, with English cookbooks documenting the combination from the 17th century onward. Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) is native to southeastern Europe and western Asia, and has been cultivated in Central and Eastern Europe since at least the medieval period. John Gerard's Herball of 1597 documents horseradish in England, and it was established as an English kitchen garden plant by the early 17th century. Hannah Glasse's influential 1747 cookbook The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy — arguably the most important English-language cookbook of its century — specifically recommends grated horseradish as the accompaniment for roast beef. The heat compounds in horseradish (isothiocyanates, similar to those in mustard) are volatile and dissipate quickly when cooked, which is why horseradish is always served raw as a condiment rather than incorporated into the cooking process. Beef tenderloin — the psoas major muscle, which does minimal work and remains exceptionally tender — became the prestige cut for American entertaining as the steakhouse culture of the 20th century established it as the standard of fine dining. The crostini format transforms this classic British-American combination into a one-bite party piece that requires no utensils.