Passion Project: Filet Mignon with French Butter and Roasted Asparagus

For my last beef recipe, I decided to go big or go home. Literally. I mean I cooked “filet mignon”, which is one of the thickest cuts there is. So I’m talking big steakhouse style cut right here.

“Filet mignon” comes from the smaller end of the beef tenderloin. It is the equivalent of the pork tenderloin that I cooked the other week. As such, it is the most tender part of beef and consequently the priciest. Surprisingly though, that cut isn’t my favorite. Don’t get me wrong, I do love a good piece of filet mignon from time to time (like right now for example), but I don’t crave it like I do for some other cuts. I find it a bit too lean and I prefer the fatty quality of ribeyes, or the even better/best of both worlds porterhouse!

Though I don’t buy it often, it is definitely a piece of meat that I tend to order out. Good steakhouses always offer filet mignon on the menu. Since it’s such a popular cut, they usually know how to cook them really well. Now a well prepared filet mignon can be absolutely delicious! I like mine rare to medium-rare, and the cut’s thickness tends to make it an extra juicy steak with that doneness. Topped with Béarnaise sauce, they make for an absolutely perfect dish. Since I don’t master that sauce just yet (one of the most difficult there is), I like to enjoy my home cooked steak with flavored butter. Just pulse a few ingredients with butter and set aside for a delicious topping to go.

Filet mignon can be a great sophisticated dish if you’re hosting a dinner party. It’s very flavorful and delicate, and pairs perfectly with the flavored butter I mentioned. Since this cut is rather lean, a little bit of extra fat adds some depth and richness to it. I had a tough time coming up with a side. At steak houses, I always get a few of them to share. Here though, I didn’t have time to make multiple dishes, so I went with one of my go-to orders: asparagus. I cooked it with the meat and let it soak up all the cooking juices in a glossy finish while the steak rested. They were perfectly done by the end, and made for a pretty green touch on the plate. You could also serve this with sautéed or garlic mashed potatoes, caramelized mushrooms and onions, green beans amandine, or brussel sprouts. Bon appétit!

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 filet mignon
a bunch of asparagus
a dollop of butter
a few sprigs of parsley, leaves only
2-3 drops of lemon juice
1/4 garlic clove, pureed
olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Season the steak with salt and pepper, and pat both sides dry with paper towels.
Heat some olive oil in a iron proof pan. Cut the asparagus in half. Pan sear the steak for 4 minutes untouched. Toss the asparagus in the pan at the same time as the steak.
Flip the steak over, and put the pot in the oven. Let it cook for 5 minutes (medium rare).
Meanwhile, whip the butter with parsley, lemon juice, pureed garlic, salt, and pepper. Reserve in the fridge.
Cover the steak with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 5 minutes. To finish the asparagus, pan sear them in the steak’s cooking juice, on medium high heat for about 3 minutes.
Top the filet with the French butter, and serve alongside the asparagus. Enjoy!

Temps Total: 20 minutes

Ingrédients:

1 filet mignon
une poignée d’asperges
une noix de beurre
quelques brins de persil
2-3 gouttes de jus de citron
1/4 gousse d’ail, en purée
huile d’olive
sel de mer et poivre noir

Étapes:

Préchauffez le four à 220°C.
Assaisonnez le steak de sel et de poivre des deux côtés, et séchez les avec du papier absorbant.
Faites chauffer de l’huile d’olive dans une poêle allant au four. Coupez les asperges en deux. Saisissez le filet sur une face pendant 4 minutes, sans le toucher. Ajoutez les asperges à la poêle en même temps que le steak.
Retournez la viande, et mettez la poêle immédiatement au four pendant 5 minutes.
Pendant ce temps, mixez le beurre avec le persil effeuillé, le jus de citron, l’ail en purée, du sel et du poivre. Réservez au réfrigérateur.
Recouvrez le steak de papier d’aluminium et laissez-le reposer pendant au moins 5 minutes. Finissez les asperges en les faisant revenir dans le jus de cuisson de la viande, à feu vif.
Garnissez le filet mignon avec le beurre aromatisé, et servez sur un lit d’asperges grillées. Bon appétit!