Olla-Podrida: filet mignon

Showing posts with label filet mignon. Show all posts

Monday, September 25, 2023

Easy Steak Modiga

Is Steak Modiga just a Saint Louis thing? I ask because there are a lot of recipes for this dish online, most of which have a St. Louis connection. We have a wonderful Italian community here in the St. Louis metro, and a lot of good restaurants, many of which serve this delicious dish. I shared a recipe for it some time ago from one of my favorite restaurants, Favazza’s, that you can find that here. That recipe, although delicious, is a bit involved. I was in desperate mood for a filet mignon, and decided I was going to take all of the recipes for Steak Modiga that I had, and compact them into something quick and simple. This is it. Not only is it company worthy, but you can have it on the table in under 30 minutes. I served mine with a salad and a roll, if you want to serve yours with rice, or a baked potato, you’ll have to start both of those things before you start your steak.

Easy Steak Modiga

2 T. olive oil, divided

1 c. Italian breadcrumbs

Montreal Steak Seasoning

4 6-oz. filet mignons

2 T. butter

1¹⁄₂ t. Melissa’s minced garlic

4 oz. sliced mushrooms

2 T. flour

1 c. chicken stock

¼ c. dry white wine

1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

¹⁄₈ t. salt, to taste

¹⁄₈ t. freshly ground black pepper, to taste

¼ c. heavy cream

4-6 ounces provel cheese*, room temperature

Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub steaks with 1 T. oil, dredge in breadcrumbs, and sprinkle with steak seasoning; set aside for 5 minutes.

Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in a 12” oven-safe non-stick skillet over medium/high heat until oil is shimmering. Place steaks in skillet and cook until well browned, about 3 minutes. Flip steaks and brown reverse side for about 3 more minutes.

Leave steaks in pan, place in oven and roast until meat registers 120° to 125° (for medium rare), 4-7 minutes.

While steaks are cooking place a sauté pan over medium-low heat, add butter. When butter melts, add garlic; cook just until it becomes fragrant, about 90 seconds. Add mushrooms; cook 1 minute. Sprinkle in flour; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Gradually stir in chicken stock, wine, and lemon juice; add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a low boil and cook until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in heavy cream. Remove sauce from heat; set aside and keep warm.

Place each steak on a serving plate and cover with one-fourth of the provel; cover with warm sauce and serve immediately.

*This is a St. Louis thing. IYKYN. You can substitute provolone.

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Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Brandied Mushroom Steak Tarts

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My plan for dinner this evening was to make an olive tart. Over the Christmas holidays I purchased the most beautiful jar of mixed olives that I was saving for a special recipe. The olive tart, spotted in a recent issue of Sweet Paul magazine, seemed to be it. There was only one problem; I couldn’t get the jar of olives open. Generally, I’m pretty good at getting jars open, but not this one.

So, I took it outside (it was a lovely day for taking a jar of olives for a walk), and started going around the neighborhood seeing if any of the big, strong men could help me. Nope. Not a one. I had to go to CVS and the library, so I put the jar of olives in my car and took them with me. A slight, but wiry-looking pharmacist greeted me at the drive-up, so I handed the jar of olives to him. He couldn’t get it open either. Then I went to the drive-up window at the library, fully expecting a woman, but no, a big, burly guy greeted me. So, I handed him the olives. I thought he was going to pop a vein, but he couldn’t get the jar open either.

An olive tart without olives wouldn’t quite be the same, so I went in an entirely different direction, cooked a steak, made a delicious mushroom sauce, and ended up with these easy and elegant steak tarts. Super delicious, easy to prepare despite what appear to be lengthy and complicated instructions, and certainly company worthy.

Brandied Mushroom Steak Tarts

Serves 2

2 (8 oz.) filet mignon steaks (1-1½" thick)

Freshly ground black pepper

1 T. unsalted butter

1 T. olive oil

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

1 slice lean bacon

1 medium clove garlic, finely minced

1 T. unsalted butter

6-8 large button mushrooms, sliced

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 T. Brandy*

2 T. water

2 t. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

½ t. Better Than Bouillon Beef Base

½ c. heavy cream

1 T. fresh parsley, finely minced

Preheat oven to 400° F. Cut one sheet of puff pastry in 2 6” x 5” pieces. Score ½” from the edge around the perimeter; do not cut through the pastry. Slide pastry onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 12-15 minutes until puffed and golden. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. With the back of a spoon, depress center of puff pastry, inside the score lines, to make a well for the steak.

While pastry is baking, press ground pepper into both sides of each of the fillets. Place butter and olive oil into an oven safe 9-inch sauté pan, melt over medium high heat until hot but not smoking. Carefully place fillets into hot pan and sear for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and place immediately into the oven to bake for 8 minutes.

Remove steak from oven and place on a plate. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing into thin slices. This will yield a medium steak. Bake a couple minutes longer for a steak more well done.

In the same pan in which you cooked the steaks, cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon, crumble, and set aside.

Add butter and garlic to skillet with drippings. Sauté for one minute, stirring constantly to prevent the garlic from burning.

Add mushrooms and pepper, and simmer until mushroom liquid begins to evaporate. Add brandy to deglaze pan, and continue simmering until almost evaporated. Stir in water, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and soup base, and boil until thickened slightly. Pour in cream and stir to blend. Add reserved bacon and parsley.

Place slices of steak on top of prepared puff pastry and spoon mushroom sauce overall. Garnish with additional chopped parsley, if desired.

*If you don’t have brandy, use red wine. If you don't have wine, use strong, black coffee.

Friday, February 9, 2018

Beef Stroganoff for Two

If you’re trying to decide what to fix your sweetie on Valentine’s Day, nothing says romance like a nice piece of beef (and you can take that anyway you like). This recipe for beef stroganoff, based upon one by Sara Moulton, makes two servings, employs the use of a filet mignon (the most romantic cut of beef), and despite what you’ve come to think in the past, can be made a day ahead. Generally, because of the last-minute addition of sour cream, it’s thought that it should be served immediately. You can do that, but this can also be held in the refrigerator until the following day, and warmed gently on top of the stove. That way you’re not spending your evening in the kitchen, but where you belong, beside your loved one, even if that loved one happens to be your dog.

Served with my Sweetheart Salad, and a nice glass of red wine, it makes a wonderful Valentine's dinner.

Beef Stroganoff for Two

3 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
1 1/2-ounce package Melissa's dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed
1-1/2 cups beef broth
1 8-ounce filet mignon, cut into strips
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
4 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dry red wine
4 ounces egg noodles
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

In a small sauce pan combine the dried porcini mushrooms and beef stock. Bring the mixture just to a boil, remove the pan from the heat to allow it to steep for 15 minutes. Strain the liquid, reserving it, and rough chop the mushrooms.

In a large skillet, fry the bacon over medium high heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a warm plate, leaving drippings in the pan. Season filet with salt and pepper; add it to the pan, and sear quickly on all sides. Transfer it to the same plate as holds the bacon.

Reduce heat to medium and add the shallots, cooking and stirring until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook until lightly browned, then add the garlic, thyme, tomato paste, flour, and cook, stirring, one minute.

Add the red wine, reserved mushroom water, 1-1/2cups water, the chopped porcinis, and noodles to the skillet. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook, covered, stirring occasionally until the noodles are done to your liking, about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in sour cream, Dijon, and lemon juice, taste and adjust seasonings. Add the beef, beef juices, and bacon to the pan, and simmer until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

PRINT RECIPE

This post is linked to:

Full Plate Thursday

Share Your Style

Happiness is Homemade Sunday

Cooking & Crafting with J&J

Amaze Me Monday

Busy Mondays

Make it Pretty Monday

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Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Jim's Steak Diane

Some time ago one of you asked if I would be making any of Jim's recipes. I thought that sounded like a wonderful idea, so last night I made what came to be known as “Jim's” Steak Diane. The non-Jim version is fairly standard; what makes his special is the addition of mushrooms.

He didn't set out to wander from the original recipe that he’d found in the cookbook accompanying the box of Omaha Steaks we'd received, it was pure serendipity, much like that experienced by Rachel Green in her failed attempt to make Trifle on the old sitcom, “Friends.” Jim combined the recipe for Filet Mignon with Mushrooms and the recipe for Steak Diane. In his defense, they were side-by-side on the same page in the cookbook, and that type is small! As it turned out, we liked his version quite well, and this is how we’ve made it ever since. My philosophy has always been that mushrooms enhance any savory dish to which they are added. This recipe proves that’s right.

Jim's Steak Diane

2 6-oz. Filet Mignons

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. butter

6 crimini mushrooms, sliced

1 tsp. Dijon-style mustard

2 Tbsp. shallots, minced

1 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1-1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp. fresh chives, minced

1 tsp. brandy

1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced

Season both sides of the steaks with salt and pepper.

Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a heavy skillet, and sauté mushrooms until juices are released; add mustard and shallots, and sauté 1 minute more. Add steaks and cook approximately 3 minutes on each side for medium-rare.

Remove steaks to serving plate and keep warm.

To pan drippings, add 1 Tbsp. butter, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and chives.

Cook for 2 minutes. Add brandy, stirring until warmed through, and pour sauce over steaks.

Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

This post is linked to: Wow Us Wednesday, Work It Wednesday, Wine’d Down Wednesday, Wake up Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, The DIY Collective, Thursday Favorite Things, Share Your Style, Coffee and Conversation, and Foodie Friday & Everything Else

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Coffee-Crusted Filet Mignon (for Two)

I saw this recipe in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch as a part of a larger article on Super Bowl food, and thought it sounded delicious. The price of tenderloin, however, is not so delicious, so I decided to try my own coffee rub on filet mignon and serve it in the same way along with a side salad for lunch. My filet was large and about 1-1/2" thick, so I ended up getting eight slices that was just perfect for lunch for two. There is enough rub here to coat two filets, so use what you need and save the rest for up to a month to use later.

The meat was marvelously tender, perfectly seasoned, and delicious hot or warm. I tried it both with and without the Bleu cheese crumbles (mentioned in the Post-Dispatch recipe) and found that I preferred the Bleu cheese in the salad.

Here is my coffee rub recipe. If you get a chance, do give this one a try.

Coffee-Rubbed Filet Mignon

Serves 2

1 tablespoon finely ground coffee

1 tablespoon table salt

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Pinch of black pepper

Rinse filets and pat dry. Cover all sides of filets with rub, coating well. Leave on counter for a half an hour to come to room temperature before cooking.

Heat oil (about a tablespoon) in a 9" sauté pan over medium high heat until it shimmers. Place steaks in pan. Turn on your vent fan, or suffer the consequences of setting off your smoke alarm. Don't ask me how I know this. (Mine, by the way, not only screeches, but a woman's voice yells, “Fire! Fire! ” It's disturbing.) Sear for three minutes on one side. Flip to the other side and sear three more minutes. Flip back and cook for two minutes on either side, then flip again and cook for an additional minute on either side. This will yield a rare steak. Remove to a cutting board and let rest for ten minutes. It will continue to cook and yield medium-rare doneness. Serve as is, or slice and serve on sections of baguette. Yummy!

This post is linked to:

What’d You Do This Weekend

Metamorphosis Monday

Amaze Me Monday

Teach Me Tuesday

Inspire Me Tuesday

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Filet Zanti

Do you remember those commercials from the Beef Council proclaiming "Beef. It's what's for dinner"? Those words have been going through my head all week. So when it came time for dinner this evening, beef is exactly what I wanted! Now, I don't know about you, but when I think beef, I think a thick, juicy steak, filet if possible. So I pulled out one of my Special Requests cookbooks of recipes from area restaurants and decided on Filet Zanti from Zanti's Ristoranti. Doesn't this look beautiful? It was! And do you know what else? Making a meal this delicious is also easy. Not only that, but this recipe serves one. So if you find yourself alone some evening, you can make this wonderful meal just for yourself. It can easily be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled. Here's another tip, no need to fire up the grill, particularly if you're making just one. I cooked mine in a pan on top of the stove and it turned out beautifully. Here is the recipe straight from the book; my dinner plate is pictured below.

Doesn't mine look as pretty as the picture? What are you waiting for? Dig in!

Happy Friday!

This post is linked to:
Foodie Friday
Foodie Friday @ Little Brick Ranch
Friday Favorites
Food on Friday
Fantabulous Friday
I'm Lovin' It Friday