Make-ahead beef filet crostini recipe for holiday hosting

Appetizers can be tricky. Most of us don’t want fussy little things that have to be individually rolled, stuffed, or tied. (I’m looking at you, stuffed grape leaves.) My criteria for a New Year’s Eve appetizer are: it should be elegant, look appetizing, be made mostly in advance and taste really delicious.

These filet of beef crostini with apple horseradish cream check all those boxes and disappear as fast as I put them out.

You can roast the tenderloin (but don’t slice it), toast the breads, and make the horseradish-apple cream the day before. On New Year’s Eve, all you have to do is slice the meat and assemble the toasts.

Have a safe, healthy, and happy New Year.

Filet of Beef on Garlic Crostini with Apple Horseradish Cream

For the beef:

1 1/2 pound filet of beef, tied

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

For the garlic crostini:

1 baguette, cut into (30) 1/4-inch thick slices

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large garlic clove, peeled

For the apple horseradish cream:

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons prepared mayonnaise

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, squeezed dry

1/3 cup finely chopped Granny Smith apple

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon sugar

salt and pepper

Garnish with chopped chives (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Season beef generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Brown beef 2 minutes per side; transfer to a wire rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast the beef 25-30 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 125-130 degrees (for medium-rare). Remove from the oven and cool completely. Thinly slice the beef.

3. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Brush the tops with the olive oil. Bake 9-12 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 10 minutes. Rub the oiled side of the crostini with the peeled garlic clove.

4. In a bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, horseradish, apple, vinegar and sugar. Season with salt and pepper.

5. To assemble: Place a crostini on the work surface, oiled side up. Top with a slice of beef then a dollop of apple-horse radish cream. Garnish with chives.

Makes 30 crostini