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Filet Mignon with Bagna Cauda Butter, Sauteed Marsala Mushrooms and Sliced Baked Potatoes

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What makes the perfect steak? Is it the accompaniments or the preparation? Is it both? Is it using a classic preparation or an innovative one?

So much to ponder…..the perfect steak. I have completely shied away from this simple yet not easy skill. For me it’s a classic preparation with innovative accompaniments. I would call this is the perfect steak or shall I say the perfect steak meal.

So why the resistance? Ummmmmm well, I am not a “grill-girl” nor do I have the perfect gas stove and oven to create the optimal cooking environment. But that is true of any of the dishes I create in my kitchen and I don’t resist them so why the “all American signature dish?”

It came clear, I was intimidated because I didn’t trust my ability to “hone in” and make it all come together, to put aside the chatter and just take the information I researched and go down into my inner chef and let her rock and roll!

It was my husband’s birthday weekend and I couldn’t think of a more perfect time. It’s in January, right after the holidays, cold and dark outside but a perfect evening for a steak palapolozza even though it is just the 2 of us….perfect time for a coming out party!

This year his birthday was on a Saturday so I had plenty of time to shop and prepare. First, I went to the butcher for the perfect cut of filet minion, 2 – 8 ounces of sheer bliss…..From there, off to my local sources for the accompaniments of potatoes, green beans, and wild mushrooms. Oh, I can’t forget the wine, my God no its my right hand to get me through this…….so down to the local wine shop for a great 2007 brunello. Now I am ready to begin the maiden voyage….let’s first start with a glass of the fabulous wine….

Since I make my own compound butters I decided to jazz up the potatoes and filets. Roasted garlic butter sounded divine for the sliced baked potatoes then top them off with fresh herbs and raclette cheese. For the filets, bagna cauda butter sounded exquisite, a wonderful combination of garlic, anchovy, and butter….the PERFECT basting sauce.

The mushrooms were calling for caramelized shallots with marsala wine and the green beans wanted to float in a garlic oil bath. I felt like a musical was happening in our house as everything was singing so incredibly together, I’m sure the wine was helping me to hear….

I set the cast iron skillet on top of the stove and preheated the oil. It was go time, everything else was prepared and done and it was the moment to cook the steaks…..I tapped my inner chef and we began…..I seasoned the filets with salt and pepper and set them down into the pan, SIZZLE….it was music to my ears……I then put in some bagna cauda butter to melt and fresh rosemary. I spooned some over the top while the filets seared and then flipped them over. So far so good (whew) and now to finish in the oven, the magical moment where it all comes together (or not) and then off to rest for 15.

I served up a beautiful presentation, the filets in the middle of a big white plate topped high with sautéed mushrooms and a terra-cotta bowl nestled alongside for the potato. Time for another glass of wine as it was the hour of truth…..

I took a bite and so did he, we looked at each other and said just one word……PERFECT……

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Potato

Filet Mignon with Bagna Cauda Butter, Sauteed Marsala Mushrooms and Sliced Baked Potatoes
 
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What makes the perfect steak? Is it using a classic preparation or an innovative one? For me it’s a classic preparation with innovative accompaniments.
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: American
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 2 - 8 ounce center-cut tenderloin steaks, at least 2-3 inches thick
  • 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • 8 ounces of shitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • ⅛ - ¼ cup marsala wine
  • 2 medium russet potatoes
  • 3 ounces of shredded raclette cheese, or any sharp cheese
  • bunch of parsley chopped
  • 2 heads of garlic, roasted and chopped
  • 2 sticks of butter
  • 1 small jar of anchovies, finely chopped
  • 8 cloves of garlic, minced
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Roasted Garlic:
  2. Take 2 heads of garlic and put in foil. Top with oil, salt, pepper, a few small chunks of butter. Roast at 350 for about 45 minutes or until golden. Take out of oven and remove cloves, chop.
  3. For the roasted garlic butter:
  4. Bring 1 stick of butter to room temperature, soft enough to stir with a wooden spoon.
  5. Stir in the roasted garlic, blend well.
  6. For the bagna cauda butter:
  7. Bring 1 stick of butter to room temperature, soft enough to stir with a wooden spoon.
  8. Stir in garlic and anchovies, blend well
  9. For mushrooms:
  10. In a medium saucepan on stovetop, put in 2 T olive oil and add shallots. Stir and cook until slightly caramelize. Add marsala wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and a little more olive oil or butter and cook until mushrooms are soft. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
  11. For potatoes:
  12. Preheat oven to 400
  13. Peel potatoes and rinse. Cut into thin slices but NOT all the way through and slightly spread part.
  14. Put potatoes in a baking dish
  15. Melt some of the roasted garlic butter, about 3 T, and spoon over top of potato along with salt, pepper, and herbs, getting some between each slice.
  16. Bake for 45 minutes or until done. Once or twice during cooking, spoon melted butter from the bottom of the pan over potatoes. Top with cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes.
  17. For filet minions:
  18. minutes before cooking, pull filets out and bring to room temperature. Season with salt and pepper.
  19. In a medium cast-iron skillet over medium high heat, heat 3T of olive oil until hot. Add steaks and some bagna cauda butter and 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary. Spoon some butter over top and cook for 3 minutes. Flip over, put in another area of pan for equal heat, and cook another 3 minutes and spoon over butter. Immediately place in 400 degree oven for 8 minutes. Every 3 minutes baste with butter. Remove and let rest for 15 minutes.
  20. Notes:
  21. Remaining compound butters can be stored either in a container in fridge or placed on a sheet of saran wrap and formed into a log and stored in fridge.
  22. If you want filets to be done same time as potatoes, time accordingly as they cook at same temperatures and be sure to include 15 minutes of resting time for filets.

Meat2

Pork Loin Pasties with Caramelized Onions, Potatoes and Roasted Garlic

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These pockets of deliciousness are called pasties. They are Cornish and are traditionally filled with beef, potato, and onion and topped with a rich gravy but I fondly remember them as being called “love letters from home”, wondering why?

My parents grew up in Butte Montana and if you know anything or have heard anything about Butte, it is a copper mining town. People from ALL over the world migrated there at the turn of the century to get a piece of the action of the booming mining industry. All of the influxes of ethnicities is what made Butte the “melting pot” of the west and with that came all the wonderful cuisines.

It was and still is very very shall I say colorful? Oh let me be honest, it is a total trip to be there, total. Its worth a visit just for the experience, trust me. Maybe in another post I will fill you in on some Butte stories….

Now back to why they are called “love letters from home”. The underground miners worked long days in very dangerous conditions and they each carried a lunch bucket because when they went underground, they didn’t come back up until their shift was over, typically 10-12 hours. During their shift work, labor was really intense and they needed a substantial meal to get them through the long hours. The pasty was one of the staples in their lunch buckets for a couple of reasons, it was hearty but more importantly, every time a miner left for work there was a chance he wouldn’t come home so their wives or mothers sent these as a reminder they were loved and to return home at the end of each day.

I adored that story and when my mother and grandmother made these for us I always knew they were “love letters from home” and I like to pass that same feeling on when I make them for the ones I love.

I remember we always made them during the fall and winter because they are the ultimate comfort food. It took a small army of helpers for the prep work. We were enlisted to peel the potatoes, cut the onions or dice the meat while my mom or grandmother made that perfect crust.

As they baked, which felt like eternity, we anxiously stood near the oven. The smell was out of this world yummy and when they came out, we each chose the one we wanted, the more crust the better, slathered on a ton of gravy and mix all of it together with the homemade coleslaw.

Here is my personal version, filled with pork loin, roasted garlic, potatoes, and caramelized onions topped with a home made pork gravy. It is totally WORTH it to make them from scratch, I promise, after all, you are sending a “love letter from home” and those take time..

Pork Loin Pasties with Caramelized Onions and Roasted Garlic
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Cornish
Serves: 28
Ingredients
  • 10 lb Pork loin roast, diced to ¼ inch
  • 3 onion, halved and thinly sliced and caramelized
  • 1 Bunch garlic cloves, roasted
  • 10 Medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut in quarters
  • 12 Cups Flour
  • 12 Sticks Butter
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 4 Cups ice water, plus more if needed
  • 1 Onion (Chopped)
  • 4 Pork loin ribs
  • 1 cup white wine, preferably pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc
  • Ham rue, I use "better than bullion brand"
  • Chicken rue, I use "better than bullion brand"
  • ½ Cup Flour
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Early in morning, measure 6 cups flour in a bowl and cut up cold butter, salt and work together flour and butter until mealy. Add water slowly and just squeeze to bring together. Don't work dough or it will get too hard. Once it comes together, put into 4 small balls and put in fridge for at least 30 minutes. Repeat with other 6 cups flour.
  2. On stove top, heat medium sauté pan and add 2-3 T butter and melt. Add onion and cook down until caramelized.
  3. Heat oven to 350. In a sheet of foil, add a bunch of garlic cloves. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper and dot with a little butter. Roast until golden brown but shake foil packet 2-3 times while cooking.
  4. Cut up pork loin into small dice, ¼ inch. With a tabletop grinder or kitchen aide grinder attachment, grind potatoes. Put out 3 bowls and divide pork evenly. Add ⅓ potatoes without water and incorporate into meat. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in ⅓ onion and garlic. Repeat with other 2 bowls.
  5. Take 2 dough balls out and divide into 3 or 4 slices and start to roll out into individual rounds. Put a full scoop of meat plus a bit more. Brush with water. Top with butter and fold over. Trim extra dough and fold over and pinch together. Put on parchment lined baking sheet. Sheet should hold 5 pasties and each bowl should make about 9 pasties.
  6. Turn oven to 350 and brush top of pasties with milk. Cook for 45 min then switch for another 45 min.
  7. While making pasties, cook pork ribs with salt and pepper for 45 min to 1 hour.
  8. While pasties are cooking, put 1 stick of buttering Dutch oven over med heat.
  9. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Add drippings from ribs and ½ cup flour. Stir until rue. Add 1 cup wine and fill with water. Add ham rue to taste and a little chicken rue. Boil until thick and season as needed. Strain and return to pot.
  10. Serve pasties immediately with gravy and coleslaw.
  11. Can cut recipe down if wanting to make less but they freeze beautifully.
  12. If freezing, individually wrap each pasty in foil and place in a ziplock bag. Reheat at 300 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until heated through.

 

Oven Roasted Lemon Potatoes

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Anytime I have something at a restaurant, someone’s home, a food truck, a festival, or wherever, I spend a RIDICULOUS amount of time working at recreating the dish…. how can I wait until the NEXT time?? Seriously? Anyone relate to this? I almost have to take a 2-week vacation JUST to perfect my newest obsession….. I mean who needs to work anyway? It’s completely overrated compared to satisfying my inner addict.

So these little gems came my way via our monthly getaways to Los Angeles back in early 2000. We used to fly out once a month for my schooling but really I think it was just an excuse to eat chicken wings in our hotel room while watching Jerry Springer, dancing till all hours of the night, shopping until we drop, giggling endlessly over great sushi, and launching out at crazy hours to find the latest “hot spots” to savor the dishes and hopefully catch a glimpse or two of a star.

Whatever it was, it didn’t matter because we had the ride of a lifetime doing adventure. We still miss it and this dish takes me back to one of the many late night launches ……

I can’t remember the name of the mom and pop Greek place where we discovered these but I do remember the food and the couple. They were great. First generation immigrants from Santorini and they shared their stories with us all the while they just brought dish after dish of their families best kept secrets.

So you ask, why lemon potatoes? Why not baklava or lamb solvalki? Or the perfect gyro? Really, lemon potatoes? It’s NOT rocket science girlfriend.

Okay, I get it BUT, mastery came into need when perfecting the marinade and the cooking, they needed to have the flavor and be able to “crisp up” just like they were cooked with more oil. I KNEW that if I ate these babies as much as I was planning, I needed to find a bit healthier balance instead of ringing myself of oil each time I finished. Don’t get me wrong, they are awesome but finding a better balance helped me be able to justify the deliciousness and still fit into my newest threads that were purchased on the same trip.

So enjoy the “skinny” lemon potatoes! Have a good time changing up the herbs to fit your style and go ahead and indulge, I promise your fashion self will thank you!

Just don’t confess to the mom and pop I got inspiration from, I’m sure I have committed a Greek sin having altered the recipe. 🙂

Oven Roasted Lemon Potatoes
 
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I have made them with various herbs, parsley, oregano, cilantro, rosemary, tarragon, and the list goes on. It could be fun to try some spices as well, cumin, smokey paprika…Just be sure to watch the potatoes as they cook so that the liquid doesn't "dry" out at the bottom, add little bit more chicken broth as needed but watch they don't get "soggy" or "too wet".
Author:
Recipe type: Side Dish
Cuisine: Greek
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 3 lbs yukon gold potatoes or 3 lbs other waxy potatoes, peeled
  • ½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • ⅛ cup olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ cup fresh oregano or any herb/spice of choice
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 2 cups chicken stock plus more if needed
Instructions
  1. Peel potatoes and cut them in half (from medium size potatoes, quarter if large).
  2. Let them stand in water while preparing sauce.
  3. Combine all other ingredients in a gallon size"zipper" bag, and shake to combine.
  4. Dry off the potatoes, and put all of them in the bag and let marinate for 2 hours.
  5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  6. Put the potatoes and marinade in a large casserole, approximately 13 x 9.
  7. Roast for 1hr 10min, turning occasionally.