Beef Tenderloin, Port Mushroom Gravy and Red Potatoes - Date Night Dinner

Potatoes: Place 8 very small whole red potatoes in small saucepan and cover with water. Add a small amount of salt to the water. Bring to slow boil and then turn down to simmer. Continue to simmer until tender. Cover and turn off heat but leave on stove top where the pan will remain hot. If the sauce pan has good insulation this is best to keep the potatoes hot. This will allow the potatoes to continue to cook but not overcook. Continue on with starting the gravy and steak as the potatoes cook. Port Mushroom Gravy: Meanwhile, in medium size skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and chopped onions. Cook while stirring with wooden spoon over medium heat until onions begin to brown and caramelize. Add butter, mushrooms, Greek spice and minced garlic clove and mix in. Turn down to medium low heat and continue to sauté until mushrooms are tender and turn golden brown. Add 1 packet Knorr homestyle Stock concentrate (if not available add 2 beef stock cubes) and blend into mushroom saucepan. Then mix in 1/4 cup or more good Port and let reduce for a few minutes so that the Port absorbs into the mushrooms. Add water and continue to simmer over medium low heat. Meanwhile watch the meat that is also cooking until it reaches around 100 degrees on the thermometer. Then, add enough McCormick's Brown Gravy mix to thicken the gravy and then turn to low. Cook slowly until thickened and the grilled meat is cooked to your desired temperature. Medium Rare Beef Tenderloin: Season liberally with your favorite steak rub. Place on sizzling hot grill and sear for 3-5 minutes per side. This steak was a 2" thick cut of tenderloin that was around 5" long and 3" wide. Cook for 2-3 minutes on one side, do a 1/2 turn keeping on same side and cook another 2 minutes. Then turn completely over and repeat. If a thick cut, turn on small sides and sear those sides too for around 2 minutes each. After searing completely on all four sides, turn down heat to medium high and continue to cook until meat thermometer reaches 120 degrees. Since the meat will continue to cook it will end up medium rare. These directions are for a very thick cut of meat. If yours is say 1" thick or less you will need to reduce the cooking time per side considerably. 1-2 minutes per side possibly. Plating the Meal: Heat two plates in the microwave for one minute. Using a ladle, spoon mushroom gravy onto hot plates to create a gravy layer for the meat and potatoes. Slice the meat against the grain in about 1 - 1 1/2" slices and place three or more slices of tenderloin on each plate. Quarter the small potatoes and arrange nicely on top of the gravy. Sprinkle potatoes with a little parsley garnish. For Your Date: Tell your darlin' or date that dinner is served and it's not to get cold! If your date is like my sweet hubby he's watching the TV waiting for the dinner bell. Maybe yours will be in the kitchen helping and tasting as dinner is in the making. Have ready a nice red wine or the port used for the gravy ready to serve and enjoy your date dinner.