Makes 8 to 10 servings

• 1 fillet of beef (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), trimmed and tied (ask your butcher to do this for you), at room temperature
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• Salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Rub the meat with the black pepper, oil, and soy. Place the fillet in an oiled roasting pan and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 130 to 140 degrees for medium-rare, 145 to 150 degrees for medium. Remove from the oven and let cool. The fillet can be prepared up to two days in advance, then wrapped and stored in the refrigerator.

When ready to serve, slice the fillet crosswise into thin slices.