I've had this idea floating around in my head in which a juicy filet mignon gets topped with a special butter. I have made herb butters, garlic butters, pesto butters, etc, but that wasn't what I wanted. I once cooked a filet that got rave reviews from Michael. It was a filet mignon with a blue cheese and cream pan sauce. It wasn't much to look at, but it tasted great. Today I did a riff on that sauce by adding Gorgonzola cheese and herbs to softened butter and melting a pat of it over a sizzling steak. It tasted as good as it looked! I served it over apple and rutabaga purée with blanched asparagus and purple scallions.
Michael and I shared this one for lunch and we'll make another for dinner.
In addition to the gorgonzola cheese, I added chopped parsley, chives, and freshly ground black pepper to the butter. I rolled it into a log and refrigerated it until firm enough to slice. Make sure your steaks are sizzling hot when you add the butter so it melts and runs down the edges of the steak. You could serve this over any other vegetable purée or garlic mashed potatoes for an equally delicious entrée. Rutabagas came in my winter vegetable CSA box this week, so they were the obvious choice. The asparagus and purple scallions were in the box this week as well. I think this is the first time I have used so many items from the CSA box in one meal. I like that! If you haven't tried a vegetable share through a local CSA you really should. It is so much fun to see what you got for the week and find creative ways to use new vegetables. The filets are from a local source of grain fed beef.
Supporting our local agricultural community is really important to us. In return, we got to have this for lunch today!
Ingredients
- For the herb butter:
- 1 stick (½ cup salted butter, from temperature)
- 2 ounces Gorgonzola cheese (crumbled)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (I used parsley and chives)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- For the steak marinade:
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- For the steaks:
- 2-3 filet mignon steaks (trimmed and tied with butcher's twine to form a circle)
- Kosher salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Make the Gorgonzola herb butter by mixing all ingredients in a small bowl. Form into a 4 inch log by rolling in plastic wrap. Twist the ends to close and refrigerate until firm.You can make this a few days in advance and refrigerate or freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
- Make the marinade for the steaks by mixing all ingredients in a zipper bag. Trim the excess fat and the filets and tie two lengths of butcher's twine around the steaks to form a circle. Cut off the excess twine. Carefully place the steaks in the bag with the marinade and flip the bag over a couple of times to coat the meat. Keep in the refrigerator up to one day, flipping them every few hours. Lay the bag on a paper place in case of leakage. Remove the steaks and allow them to come to room temperature before cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Heat an oven-proof sauté pan with a drizzle of olive oil over high heat. Remove the streaks from the marinade and place one at a time with tongs into the hot pan. Sear one side well, then the other. Using the tongs roll the steaks in the hot pan to sear the edges. Place the pan in the oven to finish cooking to your desired degree of doneness. Use a meat thermometer to check and allow for the temperature to increase slightly while the steaks are resting. Don't over cook them! While the steaks are still hot add a pat of the herb butter to each steak and allow it to melt.
Lil Polley says
Hi Mary, I was going through our George Crudo class from last year and found your blog info and decided to check it out. Your photography is outstanding and your recipes just drew me right in.
George is doing another class this spring...which I am thinking about. It's probably a repeat of his previous class, but I love being in a workshop. Hope to see you in another workshop.!
Mary says
Thanks Lil!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
You have cooked this to perfection, i can't think of anything more I'd rather eat than this now!
Mary says
Thank you Thalia. It was so good we ate it twice in one day. I appreciate your kind comment.