Serve petite beef filet for a holiday dinner

Want to serve a fancy roast for Christmas dinner without breaking the bank? Try a petite beef filet. Cut from the shoulder, long and thin, and weighing between 8-10 ounces, the petite filet looks like a mini tenderloin of beef — one of the priciest and most popular of roasts. But it’s much less expensive and more flavourful than the tenderloin. And tender, too.

Here we’ve rolled it up and stuffed it with prosciutto, as well as with pesto and roasted red peppers. The latter two ingredients — one green, the other red — echo the signature colours of the holiday even as they delight the taste buds. And, bonus! You can buy them by the jar in the supermarket, which makes the prep that much easier.

The only tricky part of this recipe for Prosciutto and Red Pepper Stuffed Petite Filet is double-butterflying the roast — that is, cutting the filet in such a way that it becomes a big flat rectangle. Start by looking for the largest petite filets you can find. They’re the easiest to slice and they hold more stuffing. Then, before commencing your butterfly surgery, read the instructions several times. The goal is to avoid cutting a hole in the meat as you butterfly it, although it’s not a problem even if you do. The roast will still hold together after the meat is pounded, lined with prosciutto, rolled and tied. And tying it isn’t that difficult. If you need help, there are several terrific videos online that will take you through it step by step.

This recipe doesn’t need to be made at the last minute. You can cut, roll and tie the roast ahead of time and chill it for several hours. Then, when you’re 25 minutes or so from sitting down to dinner, brown it, pop it in the oven and let it rest for the requisite 10 minutes. Whip up the sauce while the roast is resting. You will look like a culinary genius as you plate up a singularly elegant and festive holiday meal.