Tenderloins should come from mature beef

Dark red flesh with white fat marbling is ideal

Brighter red meat is less mature or improperly aged

Two tenderloins about 5 inches in diameter and one inch thick are just about right. Let tenderloins come to room temperature and heat iron griddle to smoking hot

Wipe it with a clean, damp cloth before adding lard or vegetable oil and allow to heat until heat patterns form

Place tenderloins on griddle and move them to a fresh greased spot on the griddle in ten seconds

Then cover with a light tin lid. In another small, hot frying pan melt the butter

Dredge mushrooms in flour and put into pan with butter and allow to saute until tender

Be sure to shake the frying pan with the tenderloins from time to time

Allow them to fry until almost the proper point on the first side, then turn over for a quick braising

Place them on a large platter

Sprinkle ground pepper on the griddle and add a little water

Let cook briefly, stir with a spa- tula and dribble over meat

Salt and pepper lightly. Add a little butter to the griddle, fry a slice of lightly toasted bread on one side and place around platter

Garnish with parsley and endive

Serve with commer- cial steak sauce or make your own ( recipe follows ).