Category: Main Dish: Beef

Filet Mignon with Green Peppercorn Sauce

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Cooking the perfect steak is not an easy task. Getting the temperature just right takes practice. I spent many years of my life as a vegetarian and now that I am eating meat again, filet mignon is my favorite cut of beef. Medium rare is the temperature I strive for. I found this technique on floatingkitchen.net under the how to cook the perfect filet mignon heading, and she isn’t joking around, it is perfect. However, I did add the butter and an extra 4 minutes cooking time in the pan.

Picture above from a restaurant in Florence, Italy, one of my best meals there; filet mignon with green peppercorn sauce, sauce recipe below. Picture below a perfectly cooked filet mignon.

Ingredients:

  • 2 filet mignons, approx. 2 inches thick
  • 1 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 TBS butter

Directions:

Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let them get to room temperature, approx. 20 minutes. Set oven to 425 degrees. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Heat a large oven-proof sauté pan to medium-high heat (I use a cast iron). Add olive oil and let it heat up.

Add steaks an let cook undisturbed for 4 minutes. Flip them over and cook on the other side for another 4 minutes. Place 1 TBS butter on each filet and immediately place in pre-heated over. Cook for another 7 minutes or to your desired temperature.

5 minutes=rare

6 minutes= medium-rare

7 minutes= medium

Transfer steaks to a plate and let rest for 5-10minutes while tented with foil.

Green Peppercorn Sauce

Original recipe found on http://www.thespruceeats.com, I have made minor modifications to directions.

Ingredients:

  • Fine Sea Salt
  • 4 TBS dried peppercorns
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup cognac, brandy or Marsala wine
  • 1/2 cup cream

Directions:

Coarsely grind 3 TBS of the peppercorns with a mortar, blender, food processor….whatever you have. Spread the coarsely ground peppercorns onto both sides of fillets before cooking. Cook the fillets as described above.

Add the cognac to a skillet and stir well over medium heat. If you are using the same skillet you cooked the fillets in its a bonus. I use a cast iron and transfer my fillets to a cooking pan for the oven. Add the cream and remaining TBS of peppercorns. Salt to taste. Let the sauce thicken slightly then spoon over fillets.

Taco Salad

I’ve tried every diet out there. After I had my children I had 20 lbs to lose after each one. The only diet that worked, with exercise of course, was the Suzanne Somer’s diet. In the process I bought 2 of her books and still make a handful of her recipes. This particular recipe is found in her book, Eat Great, Lose Weight. You can make taco salad or tacos if you want the carbs.

Ingredients;

  • 2 TBS vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, pressed
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
  • 1 head lettuce, chopped
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 6 oz cheese, grated
  • 6 TBS sour cream
  • 6 green onions, chopped
  • Salsa

Directions;

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Turn up heat to high and add beef. Cook until browned. Drain excess fat. Lower heat and add all spices, water and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 10 minutes. Assemble salad.

Dawn’s Tri-tip Marinade and Seasoned Red Potatoes

 

 

My best friend, Dawn, was watching my children one day so that I could go to work and I came home to this delicious meal. My response was “when can you move in?” She is a fantastic cook and creates delicious meals without recipes. These are both her creations and as far as measurements, you will have to add to taste.

Dawn’s Tri-tip Marinade

Ingredients:

  • Montreal steak seasoning
  • Olive oil
  • Soy sauce
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Red wine vinegar

Directions:

Cut tri-tip into 1 inch slices and marinade for a couple hours in fridge. Grill or bake to preference.

Seasoned Red Potatoes

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb red potatoes
  • Olive oil
  • Dried thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper or anything that you fancy for seasoning
  • Seasoning salt

Directions:

Cut potatoes into bite size  pieces. Put in bowl and stir in olive oil and seasoning to taste. Spread in one layer on cookie sheet and sprinkle seasoning salt on top. Roast for 30 minutes at 450 degrees. Broil last few minute to crisp and brown tops.

Pot Roast by Julia and Jacques

Watching Julia Child’s show on PBS is the reason I started my passion for cooking. This recipe is from Julia and Jacques cooking at home show. I have found I need to add more liquid to keep the roast tender and the cooking time will vary depending on the size of the roast. She added a large white turnip cut into pieces, but I omitted that because I don’t like turnips. I have been attempting to make the perfect pot roast and this one has a delicious flavor and is one of my favorites thus far.

Ingredients:

  • 1 chuck roast
  • 1-2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
  • 1 white onion, chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme
  • 5-6 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 ½ cup white wine (add enough wine and water to cover meat and keep meat covered by liquid at all times)
  • 1 cup water
  • Salt and pepper
  • 8-10 small whole onions
  • ½ pound small baby carrots
  • 4 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

Directions:

Cut fat off roast, salt and pepper entire roast. Heat vegetable oil in stock pot that is oven proof. Brown meat on all sides. Add white onion, thyme, tomatoes, white wine, water, and salt. Bring to boil. Cover and place in oven for 3-4 hours at 350 degrees.

Add small onions, carrots, potatoes and return to oven, cook covered in oven 1-1 ½ hours.