Filet mignon
A few days ago I received a UPS parcel at my door. It was from Omaha Steaks and contained a nice selection of filet mignons packed in dry ice. The package was a gift from an incomparable former student of mine and his incomparable Barringtonian family. I had just gotten out of the hospital after some surgery, and there was a get-well-soon card accompanying the luxury viands.
I've thawed and cooked a couple of the steaks. When I was in the hospital eating mystery meat and overcooked peas, I dreamed of having a filet mignon after I got out. My dream came true sooner than I expected. While I am not an obsessive eater of red meat and generally opt for chicken, turkey, and fish when I cook for myself, I do delight in a good steak from time to time.
My preparation of the filet I made yesterday was simple. I bathed the thawed meat with olive oil, seasoned it with salt and pepper, then pan-grilled it at high heat for about 3 1/2 minutes on each side, so that the exterior was seared and the interior remained a juicy medium-rare. My only side dish was fresh steamed carrots with a bit of butter. The above photo is a web-steak, not the piece I cooked, but looks similar to it.