Beef Tenderloin with 5 Onion Sauce

3 1/2 lb trimmed beef tenderloin
1 1/2 ts Salt, divided
1 t Pepper, divided
2 tb Canola oil
3 tb Butter or margarine
2 lg Yellow onions, sliced and separated into rings
2 lg Purple onions, sliced and separated into rings
2 Bunches green onions, chopped
12 Shallots, chopped
5 Garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c Cognac
1/2 c Beef broth

Sprinkle tenderloin with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Secure with string at 1 inch intervals. Brown tenderloin on all sides in hot oil in a heavy roasting pan or ovenproof Dutch oven. Remove tenderloin, reserving drippings in pan.

Add butter to drippings, and cook over medium-high heat until melted. Add yellow and purple onions, and saute 5 minutes. Add green onions, shallots, and garlic, and saute 10 minutes. Stir in cognac and broth; cook over high heat, stirring constantly, until liquid evaporates (about 5 minutes). Place tenderloin on top.

Bake, covered, at 400�F for 45 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 145�F (medium-rare). Remove tenderloin from roasting pan, reserving onion mixture in pan; cover tenderloin loosely, and let stand at room temperature 10 minutes.

Cook onion mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, 3 to 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Serve with sliced tenderloin.

Yield: 8 servings.