12 Days of Christmas with LG,BE
Day 10:
An evening winter grill, anyone?
I got really luxe with my lobster fettuccine earlier this week, but I also figured it’s pretty fair to share a luxe ‘turf’ option too. In my boyfriend’s opinion? That always means FILET + since I’m the ‘mastermind behind flavour’ according to him too, I threw in a rendition of a classic sauce to enjoy right next to Monsieur Mignon.
FOR THE FILET & SEASONING
(for two servings)
- 2x filet mignons (1 or 1+1/2 inch thick),
- salt + fresh ground pepper to taste,
- and 1 tbsp of chopped fresh rosemary
Start by removing your meat from the fridge at least half an hour in advance to come up to room temperature. By doing this, the meat will be more tender and will retain its’ moisture while cooking on the grill. Meanwhile, heat your bbq to 400ºF.
2. Pat the steak dry with a paper towel on both sides and then season with the salt, pepper, and chopped fresh rosemary on all sides of the steak. When your bbq is ready to go, consider the doneness you’d like for your steak.
( 4 minutes per side for rare, 5 minutes for medium rare, 6 minutes per side for medium well, and 7 minutes for well-done )
Allow the steak to rest before serving!
FOR THE PEPPERCORN CREAM SAUCE
- 2 minced shallots
- 2 cloves of chopped garlic
- 1oz of brandy
- 1 cup of cream
- 1/2 cup of beef broth,
- 1 tbsp of black peppercorns crushed (as best as possible)
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- salt, + 2 tbsp of unsalted butter
In a medium skillet, start by melting the butter over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, and crushed black peppercorns and cook until the shallots are slightly translucent and the garlic is fragrant. If there’s a little stickage at the bottom of the pan, all good.
Next, add the brandy and allow to come to a simmer while using your wooden spoon to scrape up any crustier bits of shallot from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the alcohol has cooked off completely and the pan looks slightly dry.
Next, add the cream and beef broth and stir together. Allow to come to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Throw in the sprig of rosemary and let the cream sauce thicken over time — anywhere from 9-12 minutes. When you run a spoon through the sauce, it should sit on the back of the spoon and you should be able to draw a line through it without the sauce interfering with your line.
Last final step — and totally optional unless you reaaaaally love peppercorns — but you can strain the sauce to remove the peppercorns, shallots, rosemary and garlic. Although all are edible (even the peppercorns will soften over time), some may find the bite of a peppercorn to be a bit too overwhelming. The sauce should be glossy, velvet-like, and a slightly pale brown colour. Season with salt to your liking, just remember that you have already salted the steak.
Serve together — and if you’re interested in pairings? A really garlicky caesar salad goes great with this sauce and some roasted potatoes with dill… browned mushrooms if you’re into them too. Deeeeelicious.
Peace and good eats guys, I hope you enjoy!
-A❁
Little Girl, Big Eats 