Ok, I know this is not the norm, but, seriously, you can make an elegant dinner like this on a weeknight. This meal took me exactly one hour to prepare. No kidding.
Pan Roasted Filet Mignon, Port Sautéed Shallots and Wild Mushrooms, Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Chili-Flecked Broccoli
The key to preparing this meal on a busy night is to know what will take the longest to cook, then the next longest, etc., and work backwards. I started by peeling, dicing and boiling four Idaho potatoes in plenty of salted water. Cook for about 10-15 minutes. You can check if the potatoes are done by sticking a knife into a chunk–if it’s fully cooked, it will easily slide off the blade.
Chop a head of broccoli down to florets (same size for even cooking), toss with olive oil, two garlic cloves slivered, one red chili pepper diced, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Place on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes to roast.
Sauté two large, thinly sliced shallots in a hot pan with olive oil and a touch of butter for flavor, until slightly caramelized. Add about a pound of sliced, mixed wild mushrooms, a big pinch of kosher salt and let them cook, undisturbed, over medium-high heat for a few minutes, then flip over to brown the other side.
When the mushrooms are nicely browned, add a fortified wine to deglaze the pan. I usually like to use Marsala wine or a dry Sherry, but since that was not on hand tonight, I used a smidgen of Port (about 1/4 cup). Nice accompaniment to the filet, don’t you think? I finished the mushrooms with a little bit of the cream left from the mashed potatoes–a dab of butter will do as well. Just taste to make sure they are well seasoned. Add a sprinkling of freshly chopped chives, for bite.
I found some nice thick marbled Filet mignons at my butcher–already secured around the middle with twine. Season them with freshly ground pepper and my favorite salt for beef: Maldon, which are sea salt flakes from the Maldon region of the UK.
To make sure you get the perfect sear on the beef, use a well-seasoned cast iron pan–my go-to pan for all things sauteed. I own a full complement of All Clad pots and pans (thanks to an employee discount at Williams-Sonoma), but I have to say the pan I use more than any other is this 12″ Lodge cast iron, that costs $28 retail! It browns like no other–I use it for meat, fish, potatoes. Heat it well–cast iron takes longer to heat up, but then retains the heat longer, too.
I seared these filets in a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter over medium high heat for a few minutes, until nicely browned on one side. Flip over, then put in the 400 degree oven for 5-10 minutes, depending on your desired doneness. I prefer my beef on the rare side, so I took the pan out after 5 minutes.
While the filets are cooking in the oven, finish the cooked potatoes by using a hand masher to combine them with about 1/3 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup of milk, a teaspoon of rich butter, kosher salt and black pepper. Taste for seasoning; keep warm on stove. Love this Irish butter, Kerrygold, for finishing dishes. It has a wonderful rich, creamy, fresh-from-the-dairy flavor. Make sure to always use the unsalted version–that way you control the salt in all that you cook.
When the filets are done, allow them to rest for 2-3 minutes. Serve them on a mound of the mashed potatoes, accompanied by the mushrooms and roasted broccoli. Tuesday night dinner…really!
Serves 4:
Stick with filets, Mike. I’m not a fan of sirloin myself–it has more fat and won’t be as tender. Got the pan at Williams-Sonoma; Sur la Table carries them too, or any decent cookware store. Enjoy!
Lovely, Pennie. I am tempted to go and to this right now. While I do have filets to use, I wonder how Sirloin would work?
P.S. Where’d you get that pan?
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