Seared Beef Filet with White Beans, Bitter Greens and Black Olive Tapenade
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for thinning the tapenade if necessary
5 cups loosely packed arugula leaves (or a mixture of arugula and radicchio)
Kosher salt
2 large cloves garlic, grated or minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1 14-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup water
Freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 6-ounce beef tenderloin filets (about 3/4 inch thick)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons black olive tapenade
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the oil’s almost smoking (you will begin to smell the oil at that point). Add the arugula to the skillet and let it sit for about 30 seconds without stirring. Season it with a pinch or two of kosher salt, add the garlic and cook, stirring, for another 30 seconds, until some of the leaves are just wilted but some remain bright green. (Some of the leaves may brown slightly, which is fine; it lends a nice flavor to the dish.) Add the beans and water. Stir to incorporate, and cook the mixture for about 2 minutes, until it’s warmed through. Season to taste with lemon juice and salt, if needed. Remove beans and greens to plate or bowl and keep warm. Season both sides of the steaks with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Wipe out the same skillet you used for the beans and greens; add the vegetable oil and place skillet over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the oil’s almost smoking (you will begin to smell the oil at that point). Add the steaks and sear them on one side for 2 minutes if you want them medium-rare, 4 minutes for medium. Flip the steaks, turn off the heat and let them sit in the skillet until the skillet goes quiet, about 3 minutes. If the tapenade is thick and pastelike, put it in a small bowl and stir in a tablespoon or two of olive oil until you have a loose, spoonable consistency. Divide the beans and greens mixture among four plates. Place the steaks with the first-cooked sides up in the center of each plate and smear the tapenade on the steaks.