Special menu offers a delicious helping of tempered indulgence

Curly endive salad with sun-dried tomatoes and almonds Roast beef tenderloin with persillade

Prep: 20 minutes 2 minutes 4 to 6 servings Most of this salad can be prepared in advance. Toss everything together with the dressing after the guests are seated at the table. large head (or 2 smaller heads) curly endive or frisee cup sliced blanched almonds cup extra-virgin olive oil tablespoons red wine vinegar large shallot, peeled, finely minced Coarse (kosher) salt, freshly ground pepper to taste cup thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes Separate the endive leaves; rinse well under cool water. Tear into bite-size pieces. You’ll have about 8 cups. Dry endive in a salad spinner or pat dry between kitchen towels. Pack lettuce into a plastic food bag, and add a piece of paper toweling to soak up any moisture. Close the bag, and refrigerate 30 minutes or up to 2 days. Put almonds into a small dry skillet. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, just until almonds are a pretty golden color, 1 or 2 minutes. Do not walk away, or they will burn. Transfer to a plate to cool. Once cool, store in a covered jar for up to several days. For the dressing, put oil, vinegar and shallot into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Dressing will keep at room temperature for several hours, or store in the refrigerator for several days. Just before serving, put endive and sun-dried tomatoes into a large salad bowl. Add some of the dressing and toss to coat lightly. Sprinkle with toasted almonds. Serve immediately. 108 calories, 9 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 7 g carbohydrates, 2 g sugar, 3 g protein, 278 mg sodium, 4 g fiber Prep: 20 minutes 40 minutes 4 to 6 servings Nutrition information per serving (for 6 servings): 450 calories, 36 g fat, 12 g saturated fat, 93 mg cholesterol, 2 g carbohydrates, 0 g sugar, 27 g protein, 2,109 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

MICHAEL TERCHA/CHICAGO TRIBUNE PHOTOS; MARK GRAHAM /FOOD STYLING Beef tenderloin’s mild flavor and rich tenderness merit its holiday superstar status. Pair it with an unpretentious, light but tasty persillade. For hearty meat lovers, purchase a larger roast; cooking time will be about the same. tablespoons Dijon...

Remove roast from oven; transfer to a carving board and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand, 10 to 15 minutes; temperature will rise a few degrees. Meanwhile, pulse 4 remaining whole garlic cloves in a blender or food processor until finely...