ISO Sauce for Filet Mignon

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Hipgrncln

Assistant Cook
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
20
Need a quick and easy sauce for a great cut of beef for tonight. Raining so we are eating in.

Many Thanks

Bob J
 
Hip, last night I tried Alton Brown's Beef Tenderloin Baked in Salt Crust recipe. It was amazing. No need for any sauce. The meat comes out perfectly seasoned, tender and moist. As if it came from a fancy steakhouse. You can find this recipe on the Food Network website.

I plan to serve it to guests one of these days.
 
I would make a bearnaise sauce for the filet mignon.

Béarnaise Sauce



1/4 C Chopped Tarragon
2 Shallots, minced
1/4 C Champagne Vinegar
1/4 C White Wine
3 Egg Yolks
1/2 C Butter, melted
TT S&P

Combine the tarragon, shallots, vinegar and wine in a small saucepan and reduce to 2 tablespoons of liquid. Remove from heat and set aside.

Using a double boiler or a stainless steel bowl on a pan of simmering water, whisk the egg yolks until they have doubled in volume.

Slowly whisk in the melted butter followed by the reserved tarragon reduction.

Season with the salt and pepper.

May be kept for up to an hour covered and placed in a bowl of warm water.
 
If you are not grilling- thus are cookng inside- and perhaps cooking in a skillet, or grill pan- your answer is easy- look at the bottom if your pan. With any luck at all you will have a fond there.
Deglaze with wine, maybe add a little butter- perhaps a dash of dijon mustard and worchestershire sauce.

Reduce, there is your sauce.

just to back up some- use a heavy skillet- preferable not non-stick. Make it really hot. Start your meat in there- get it cooked on both sides- remove to hot oven to finish- meanwhile make your sauce...as above.

Of course you could forget all the above and just make a great compound butter. Take your favorite spices, perhaps a rosemary and garlic with tarragon, or maybe oregano garlic and thyme... chop finely, mix into barely softened butter-

Roll butter into a log- surrounded by wax paper or parchment- refrigerate. At serving- cut off a silver dollar sized portion of compound butter- place on top the meat- eat...
 
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Wine Merchant's Sauce

I learned this sauce some years ago when I visited Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the town where the famous wine is from in Provence, France. It's become one of my favorites for both beef and lamb cooked on top the stove. It takes no time at all to do!

The recipe for the sauce begins when the meat is cooked and you take it from the pan. Here goes:

Wine Merchant’s Sauce
(Marchand de Vin)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
3/4 cup dry red wine (such as Côtes du Rhône or Zinfandel)
Another 1/2 cup of the wine
3 tablespoons additional butter
Freshly ground pepper and sea salt to taste
1. Pour off the fat from the pan, but do not wash it. The particles of caramelized meat juices adhering to the pan will contribute to the success of your sauce.
2. Add 1 tablespoon butter and the shallots to the hot pan. Sauté the shallots over low heat for about 3 minutes, then pour in the red wine. Raise the heat and cook until the wine is reduced to almost a syrup. Add the 1/2 cup wine, and reduce again. This time, leave a little more juice (about 1/3 cup in all). Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it is absorbed and the sauce is thickened. Add freshly ground pepper and taste before adding salt. It may very well be salty enough.
3. To serve, arrange the meat on hot plates. Stir into the sauce any juices that have accumulated on the plate during the meat’s rest. Nap the meat with the sauce, sprinkle with some finely chopped parsley, and serve.
 
Too late for this filet, but you might keep this one handy for next time -


* Exported from MasterCook *
FILET MIGNON WITH GREEN PEPPERCORN CREAM SAUCE
Recipe By :2003 ACF Apprenticeship dinner
Serving Size : 4

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 3/4 c Beef stock
3 Tbsps butter
4 6- to 8-oz. filet mignon steaks, ~1" thk
-------
1/4 c shallots, chopped
1 c heavy cream
3 Tbsps cognac or brandy
2 Tbsps green peppercorns in brine, drained

Boil stock in pan till reduced to 3/4 cup, about 7 min.
Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet over med-high heat.
Season steaks w/salt & pepper.

Cook steaks to desired doneness, ~4 min. per side for med-rare.

Transfer steaks to plate (do not clean skillet)
Add chopped shallots to same skillet and sauté 2 min.
Remove from heat.

Add reduced beef stock, the cream, cognac or brandy and green peppercorns.

Boil till mixture thickens to sauce consistency, ~6 min.
Season sauce to taste w/pepper.
Spoon sauce over steaks & serve.
 
easiest is a red wine sauce with caramelized onions and mushrooms...thicken with a bit of butter. Bernaise is traditional and oh so good but it takes a bit of practice.
 
ChefJune and cjs, holy cow, I am DROOLING! Saved both your recipes to try later. My problem is that once I smell that beef cooking I am so impatient to eat it I rarely make any kind of sauce. LOL!
 
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