Gioachino Rossini, the master of melody who composed “The Barber of Seville” in a mere thirteen days, was a “foodie” of the first rank. Known as one of the greatest gastronomes of the 19th century (the hoity-toity term for “foodie”), the composer once wrote, “I travel not so much for the sake of my music as for that of my stomach.” Rossini claimed, according to another anecdote, to have wept only three times in his life: over the fiasco of his first opera, when he heard Paganini play the violin, and the day a turkey stuffed with truffles fell overboard while he was enjoying a floating picnic. Chefs from throughout Europe dedicated recipes to the maestro, many of which are still enjoyed today, and culinary references abound in Rossini’s operas.

From the time he retired, at the peak of his career, following the Paris premiere of “William Tell,” Rossini was to be found nearly every evening in one of the great French restaurants, enjoying extraordinary food, fine wines, and legendary conversation with his intimate circle of very fortune friends.

There are conflicting stories about the origin of the famous “Tournedos a la Rossini” and how they got their name. We’ll settle for the recipe:

Tournedos a la Rossini:

6 Tbsp. butter
4 slices foie gras
4 slices white bread, remove crusts and trim to size of the tournedos
4 tournedos, salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
Approx. one-half cup Madeira sauce
2 truffles, sliced (optional)

In a small skillet, melt 2 Tbsp. butter and fry the bread slices until nicely browned on both sides. Heat another 2 Tbsp. butter and the olive oil, sauté the garlic until it begins to brown then remove it with a slotted spoon and discard. Place the tournedos in the pan and cook over high heat until the meat is pink on the inside. Place each tournedo on a toasted bread crouton with a slice of foie gras on top. In the same skillet where the meat was cooked, briefly sauté the truffles and then lay atop the foie gras slices. Continue to heat the pan juices, add the Madeira sauce and mix well. Pour a small amount of the sauce over the meat and serve immediately. Serves four.

Madeira Sauce:

1 and one-half Tbsp. Madeira wine
Three-fourths Tbsp. corn flour
1 and one-quarter cup veal stock
Salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, mix the Madeira and corn flour. Bring the stock to a boil and gradually whisk the paste into the hot liquid. Return to a boil, stirring constantly, and simmer until the liquid is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Salt and pepper to taste and then strain through a fine strainer. Yields about 1 and one-quarter cup.