The holidays are special and warrant special dishes. Judy Harper of Kennesaw shares a favorite recipe for Marinated Roast Tenderloin.

The recipe originates from Harper’s friend, Helen Slagle. “It’s not my recipe but it has been handed down. It’s a really good recipe,” Harper stated.

Harper typically serves beef tenderloin, an expensive cut of meat, on special occasions such as parties and Christmas.

“It’s easy to prepare, and it’s just very tasty,” said Harper, who is married to local dermatologist Dr. Bob Harper. The Kennesaw residents have three grown children and two grandchildren. Harper, a homemaker, grew up in Pennsylvania and moved to Atlanta after college where she met her husband on a blind date. After he finished Georgia Medical College in Augusta, they moved to Marietta where he joined Marietta Dermatology Associates.

Harper marinates the tenderloin before cooking it in a bourbon and soy mixture with bacon and onions. She serves it on a platter garnished with red leaf lettuce, cherry tomatoes and sliced peppers. “It’s a colorful presentation,” Harper said.

“The tenderloin is moist. Everybody just seems to enjoy the flavor. The bourbon just leaves a different kind of taste,” she explained.

“(Beef tenderloin) is good for holidays or special occasions. It’s worth it,” Harper said.

Marinated Roast Tenderloin

Serves: 25 for cocktails

Oven setting: 450 degrees, then 400 degrees

5-8 pound beef tenderloin, trimmed of fat

Coarsely ground pepper or lemon pepper

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 ½ - 2 cups low sodium soy sauce

½ - ¾ cup bourbon (cheap stuff is fine)

4-6 strips raw bacon

1 medium (strong) onion, sliced

DIRECTIONS

Clean and dry roast, then place in a large zip-lock bag. Sprinkle roast with lemon pepper. In a separate bowl, mix the garlic, soy sauce and bourbon together. Then pour bourbon mixture over the roast in the bag. Marinate at room temperature for 2 hours or in the refrigerator (overnight for best full flavor).

It is MOST important to let the roast come to room temperature before roasting. Remove roast from bag, reserving marinade, and put roast on a rack in roasting pan. Put bacon strips on top, then onion slices, and pour marinade over this. Place roast in preheated 450 degree oven, and immediately reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees. Roast meat for 35-50, or to an internal temperature of 135 degrees for a rare, juicy roast.

Serve with horseradish sauce (mixture of sour cream, lemon juice and horseradish). Garnish serving dish with red leaf lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and sliced red, yellow, or orange bell peppers. It is okay to serve meat after cooling or at room temperature.