Baked Beef Tenderloin in Herbed Salt Crust

Prepare the salt crust: In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg whites and water. Set aside. In another bowl, mix dry ingredients together and slowly pour in the egg-water mixture. Mix well until a dough forms. Work the dough for about 5 minutes so that it smoothens, adding more flour as needed. Form the dough into a ball and cover tightly in cling wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 430°F.

Prepare the beef: Season beef with pepper. In a small skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear beef on all sides until brown and golden. Transfer to a platter and brush with the remaining olive oil while you prepare the crust.

Make the crust: Lay out cling wrap on a clean, flat surface. Sprinkle flour on top. Place dough in the center of the work surface and start stretching it out with your fingers or a rolling pin to form a rectangle1 /3-inch-thick. As you flatten it, flip the dough over to make sure it doesn't stick to the cling wrap.

Place beef in the middle of the rectangle of dough. Fold the dough in on itself. Don't overlap the edges-the thickness of the dough should be even so that the beef cooks evenly. Press ends of the dough to seal and trim off any excess.

Place beef on a roasting pan. Bake encrusted beef in the oven for about 30 minutes for a medium rare doneness or an internal temperature of 130 to 150°F, or 40 minutes for medium doneness or 150 to170°F.

Remove pan from the oven and let the beef rest for at least 20 minutes in the dough.

With a sharp knife, slice the crust open. place beef on a platter; discard crust. Slice beef and serve with creamed spinach, if desired.