Serves eight to ten
For the sauce:
1/2 cup Tamari or soy sauce
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup dry sherry
5 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
Zest of 1 lemon, grated
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 whole filet of beef, silver skin and fat removed, tied
Freshly ground black pepper
To prepare:
One day ahead, with cotton kitchen string, tie filet of beef about every one and one-half to two inches, then rub meat with black pepper, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk soy sauce, oils, sherry, garlic, ginger, lemon zest, and vinegar together until blended. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
Transfer to a glass jar and refrigerate.
About two hours before roasting, remove meat from refrigerator, unwrap and place in a non-reactive shallow baking pan. Pour teriyaki sauce over the beef and bring to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Line a baking sheet or jelly roll pan with parchment paper and set aside. Transfer the meat to the prepared baking sheet, discard the marinade, and place meat on the rack in the center of the oven. REDUCE the temperature to 450 degrees F. and roast the filet exactly twenty-five minutes.
Meanwhile, open ten to twelve sheets of newspaper on a flat surface, top with two or three sheets of parchment paper and set aside. When the timer rings, transfer the filet from the baking pan to the parchment paper and newspaper, pour the pan juices over the meat, roll in parchment paper using a deli wrap, then roll it in all the newspapers and slip the entire affair into a large garbage bag. Let stand at least thirty minutes before carving.
To serve, cut into thin slices and arrange on a platter and garnish with watercress or escarole.