Filet with a Port-Mushroom Sauce, Grilled Asparagus, and Rustic Garlic Mashed Potatoes
A fancy meal does not have to be challenging to prepare or take the better part of a week to cook. Fancy can be simple, yet elegant and prepared even after a long day of work. While those super elegant steak houses like to charge you at least 50 dollars for a quality filet and a side that just barely fills a thimble, you can make a meal of the same quality at home for a quarter of the price. If you happen to be a member of Sam’s or Costco, you can get Filet Mignon at less than half the price of your local mega mart. Our port-mushroom sauce is super simple to make but is packed with more flavor than you can wrap your mouth around. There are only a few ingredients and most of them are quite inexpensive (if you don’t have port already, just grab a half bottle to cut down the cost!). Potatoes, turnips, and garlic are practically free and are not only delicious, but packed with nutrients and antioxidants (especially when you leave the skins on the potatoes). For just a few bucks you too can eat like a celebrity and enjoy the comfort of home!
For the complete recipe, click here.
Cooking steaks on a grill takes me back to my childhood each and every time that I do it. Where I grew up, there used to be this restaurant that had a massive grill in the main dining area. For a flat fee, you picked the steak that you wanted to grill (I always went for the Filet Mignon), plopped it on the grill and prepared it exactly to your likings. You also had access to as many baked potatoes as you could fit into your stomach and toast to grill as well. Oh my, it was delicious and so much fun. While this restaurant was by no means a glamorous locale, it was fun. Sometimes I feel like many restaurants are taking the fun out of steaks by upping the price and giving you the choice of paying extra for that side that you really really want. This does not have to be the case if you prepare the steaks at home.
Steak alone is fantastic. However, with the right sauce, steak can be taken to another galaxy. We went with a mushroom sauce prepared with port wine and cream. I mean, how can you go wrong with mushrooms, port wine, and cream? To top that off, we plate it with a heaping pile of our delicious rustic garlic mashed potatoes and some grilled asparagus. If your mouth is not currently watering, you might want to go see a doctor immediately. Seriously.
So, if you are in a rush and don’t want to spend a fortune at those fancy steak houses, whip up our “Filet with a Port-Mushroom Sauce, Grilled Asparagus, and Rustic Garlic Mashed Potatoes” and I guarantee that your significant other will be smiling from ear to ear.
Enjoy.
Filet with a Port-Mushroom Sauce, Grilled Asparagus, and Rustic Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 1 hr
Total Time: 1 hr and 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Hardware
- Large Frying Pan
- Sharp Knife
- Wooden Spoons
- Stock Pot
- Grill
- Small and Large Plates
Software
- 8 ounces white button mushrooms (sliced)
- 8 ounces crimini mushrooms (sliced)
- 1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms (dehydrated)
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 2 cups Port wine
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme (chopped)
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 filet mignon steaks
- 4-5 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 stems of asparagus
- 4 medium turnips (quartered)
- 2 pounds red potatoes (quartered, skins on)
- 1 head garlic (cloves separated, skins removed, smashed)
- 1/4 cup milk
- salt
- fresh ground black pepper
To Do
1. Preheat your grill.
2. In a frying pan over medium-high heat, saute the white button and crimini mushrooms along with the onion in 1/4 cup of butter. Season with salt and pepper and let cook for 15-20 minutes or until the mushrooms have cooked down to less than 1/4 of their original size.
White button and crimini mushrooms!
3. Strain the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms through cheese cloth, slice, and add to the sautéed white button and crimini mushrooms. Increase the heat to high and add the port wine and fresh thyme. Let the port wine reduce by at least half.
4. Add the chicken stock and let simmer, covered for 30-45 minutes. The sauce should thicken slightly.
5. While the port-mushroom sauce is simmering, boil the turnips, potatoes, and garlic (the whole head, cloves separated, skins removed, and smashed with the back of a knife). Be sure to only cover the potatoes and turnips with water in a large stock pot . . . do not fill the pot with water. Cook until tender (about 30 minutes).
6. Once tender, strain the potatoes, turnips, and garlics and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and milk and mash using a hand mixer until only a few chunks remain. Set aside.
7. On a small plate, season the filets with salt and pepper and rub a little olive oil on each side so that they do not stick to the grill.
8. On a large plate, roll the asparagus in olive oil, salt, and pepper.
9. Place the steaks and asparagus on the hot grill. For medium-rare steaks, cook 5-6 minutes per side. The asparagus will take about as long as the steaks to become nicely cooked. Remove the steaks and asparagus from the grill.
10. Place 1/2 tablespoon of butter on each steak and let sit for 5 minutes.
11. While the steaks are resting, add the cream to the port-mushroom sauce and stir to combine.
12. Plate by placing the filet on one end of a long plate and top with the port-mushroom sauce. On the other side, place about a cup of the rustic garlic mashed potatoes. Lastly, in the middle, place the grilled asparagus.
Filet with a Port-Mushroom Sauce, Grilled Asparagus, and Rustic Garlic Mashed Potatoes