Beef Tenderloin Medallions with Wild Rice

3 lbs beef tenderloin – sliced into 1″ thick slices (We love 1,000 Hills beef)
Salt and pepper, for seasoning
3 Tb olive oil
6 pieces thick cut, lean bacon, diced (Fisher Farms of course!)
2 Tb butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ cups dry red wine
2 C beef stock
2 containers dried mushrooms, re-hydrated, soaking liquid reserved
1 Tb tomato paste
1 Tb Basil Balsamic
3 Tb butter (at room temperature)
2 Tb flour
2 frozen spinach, thawed and drained
3 C cooked wild rice (cooked with usual direction, but using beef stock instead of water)

Salt and pepper the tenderloin medallions.
On stove top over medium heat, sauté medallions in olive oil until browned on both sides (about 3 minutes per side). Remove to plate and cover.
In same pan cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and place on paper towel to drain.
To same pan, add butter, when foam subsides add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add red wine and increase heat to high. For one minute boil, while scraping bottom and sides of pan to loosen any bits.
Add beef stock, tomato paste, Basil Balsamic, salt and pepper, then simmer uncovered over medium high heat for about 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium and simmer an additional 15 minutes until sauce is reduced by half.
Add spinach and simmer an additional 5 minutes
With a fork, mash remaining 3 TB butter with flour to make a paste and gently whisk into sauce.
Simmer for a few minutes to thicken.
Add re-hydrated mushrooms, beef slices and bacon back into pan. Cover and gently heat until steaks are done. Don’t overcook them, they are much better tender.
Place large spoon of cooked wild rice in 4 shallow bowls.
Top with 2 medallions and a few spoons of sauce. Shaved Parmesan is also a nice finishing touch.