Ingredients
The onions
6 to 8 pearl onions, about 1 inch in diameter
1/2 cup chicken stock
A pinch of fresh chopped tarragon

The potatoes
3 or 4 medium boiling potatoes
a pinch of minced fresh tarragon
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

The mushrooms
6 to 8 large fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon minced shallot or scallion

The meat
2 center-cut beef tenderloin steaks, 1 1/2 inches thick, or the equivalent cut from a piece of tenderloin

The sauce
2 tablespoons minced shallots or scallions
1/3 cup dry French vermouth
1/3 cup beef or chicken stock
1/3 cup heavy cream (or 1/2 cup stock blended with 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch)

Other ingredients
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Butter and light olive oil or peanut oil

Instructions
The onions. Drop the onions into boiling water for 1 minute. Drain. Shave skin from the tip and root ends, then slip off the remaining skins. Pierce a cross 1/4 inch deep in the root ends and slowly simmer in a covered saucepan with the stock, herbs and a little salt until tender - about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, continue with the rest of the items.

The potatoes. Peel the potatoes and cut into 3/4-inch slices; cut the slices into 3/4-inch strips, and cut the strips into cubes. Dry the potatoes. Set a frying pan over high heat, add one tablespoon each of butter and oil, and when the butter foam has almost subsided, add the potatoes. Sauté without disturbing for 1 minute, swirl the pan by its handle to toss them, and leave for another minute - to sear them. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and sauté over moderate heat, tossing fairly frequently, for about 15 minutes. When lightly browned and tender, keep them just warm, uncovered, over a pan of barely simmering water.

The mushrooms. Trim 1/4 inch off the stems of the mushrooms and either wipe the caps clean with a towel or wash them rapidly, if dirty, and dry them. Quarter them. Sauté several minutes in hot butter in a second frying pan, adding the shallots or scallions at the end, just as the absorbed butter reappears on their surface and they begin to brown.

The meat. Whether you are using steaks or a piece of tenderloin, cut off outside fat and slice the meat into 1-1/2-inch chunks. Dry them well before sautéing.

Midway point. Everything is cooking at once except for the meat, which is lying in wait. The onions are simmering away in their saucepan; the potatoes are sautéing. When the mushrooms are done, turn them into a side dish.

Sautéing the meat. Set the mushroom sauté pan over moderately high heat, adding a little butter and oil. When very hot, almost smoking, add the meat. Brown, tossing frequently for several minutes, until barely springy when pressed -- the beef must be very rare because it gets a little more cooking later. Toss it with a sprinkling of salt, and scrape it into the dish with the mushrooms.

The sauce. Spoon all but a tablespoon of fat out of the pan, stir in the minced shallots or scallions, and sauté a moment; then pour in the wine, the stock, and any juices from the onions. Boil rapidly and let reduce almost to a syrup before adding the optional cream (or the stock/cornstarch).

Final simmering. Scrape the beef, onions, and mushrooms into the pan and bring to the simmer, basting with the sauce, just to warm the beef through without overcooking; it should be rosy rare. Taste the sauce carefully and correct seasoning.

Serving. Toss the potatoes over high heat to crisp, adding a tablespoon of butter, the herbs, and parsley. Strew the potatoes over the meat and serve.

Yield: 2 (generous) servings

Jessica Webster leads the Food & Drink section for the AnnArbor.com community team. You can reach her at JessicaWebster@AnnArbor.com.