Filet Mignon with Mushrooms and Herb Butter Sauce
I was giving some thought to what could be a fabulous Valentine’s Day dinner this last Friday, when the Hubby and I found ourselves without children or plans for dinner, that rarely occurs here.
Mostly, because I do wake up thinking “hmnnn what’s for dinner tonight?”, I know it’s a sickness. And usually we have not only our two, but a few other kids in the mix, by the time dinnertime rolls around.
However, things have changed. Both children now drive, themselves. No need for me to chauffeur them around (okay I kind of miss that) and now they, more often than not on the weekends, have their own dinner plans.
With the vegetarian, and the 16-year-old boy out of the dinner picture we could have whatever our hearts desired. So that meant some sort of red meat, then probably something expensive since we were purchasing for only two not the six that it requires, when cooking for a tall growing boy.
We instantly agreed, a nice little filet mignon with mushrooms and a herb butter sauce would be lovely. We also agreed that if we are treating ourselves, a concept I can get used to, let’s open a nice bottle of wine, perhaps a Burgundy. Okay now we are talking.
I have to tell you this whole meal was so fabulous that we are making it again, this Friday. With the addition of champagne and some form of chocolate, definitely! Glad that’s all settled.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Ingredients
- 2 4-6oz filet mignon approx. 2" thick
- 10 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 4 Tbs butter
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- salt and pepper
- 8 ounces of fresh mushrooms
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cook mushrooms with 1 Tbs butter and a pinch of salt and pepper until cooked through and browned, set aside.
Season each steak with salt and pepper on both sides.
Place a cast iron pan on stove top and turn heat to med high.
When pan is searing hot, I mean really hot if might catch fire hot, add steaks.
Leave undisturbed for 4-5 mins, flip then leave undisturbed another 4-5 mins more.
If wanting rare to medium rare place on plate and cover very loosely with foil, let rest 3-4 mins.
If wanting more medium to well cooked, slide pan into oven for 3 mins more.
Then place on plate and cover loosely, let rest 3-4 mins.
Put your dinner plates in the warmed oven, turn off the heat.
In the meantime put cast iron pan back on range at medium heat.
Add 4 Tbs of butter, when melted add garlic and 4 tbs chopped thyme. Cook 1-2 mins.
Until garlic is soft but not browned. Discard garlic.
Place steaks on warmed dinner plates spoon the garlic butter over top, garnish with more thyme.
For rare remove when internal temperature of steak is 120-130 degrees,
medium rare 130-135, and medium 135-145 degrees.
Notes
We served the filet with some oven roasted brussels sprouts. Pop them into the 400 degree oven 5 minutes before starting the steaks. They take about 15-20 minutes so they should both be ready at the same time.
Annette 
Jim 
Marielle 
Pamela