Special Dinner

We cooked a special dinner last night, just because. Blue cheese crusted filet mignon with horseradish mashed potatoes. I record a TV cooking show called Chef at Home every morning, Chance loves the close-ups and he usually dances when they play the music.


Blue Cheese-Crusted Filet Mignon with Red Wine Sauce

Steaks:
2 x six-ounce filet mignons
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
2 ounces blue cheese
1 slice whole grain bread, cubed
1 Tbsp stick butter
Fresh ground pepper

Red Wine Sauce
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream



Preheat oven to 400°F.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Season the filets and rub with olive oil. Place in the hot pan and sear for 1 minute on each side.
Place on a cooling rack fitted over a baking sheet. Reserve the pan.

Puree the blue cheese, bread, butter, rosemary and pepper in a food processor until smooth.
Pack blue cheese crust onto the tops of the filets and bake in oven until meat is medium-rare, about 8-10 minutes.

The meat and crust may be prepared in advance, refrigerated, then baked just before serving. If so, add a little more baking time.



Add the wine to the searing pan over medium-high heat.
Scrape loose the brown bits and reduce the wine to a syrup-like consistency.
Whisk in the cream and continue to reduce until the mixture thickens to a sauce like consistency.

Season and serve with the filets.