The red wine sauce is flavored with vegetables for a perfect accompaniment to herbed and spiced tender filet mignon steaks. Serve this restaurant-quality dish to special guests or for important occasions. Do not let the long ingredient list dismay you. It's not that difficult to make. If you do not have a grill, use the oven broiler.
Prep Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- For the Marinade:
- 6 beef filet mignons (approximately 7 ounces each), trimmed
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 4 sprigs rosemary, bruised
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon coarsely cracked black peppercorns
- Salt
- For the Sauce:
- 1 cup onion, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup carrot, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup celery, choppd into 1-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 cups red wine, preferably Cabernet
- 1-1/2 quarts veal stock or roasted chicken stock
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Garnish: 2 tablespoons chive batons, cut 1 inch in length
Preparation:
Marinade:
Coat the filet mignon steaks with a marinade combining the balsamic vinegar, garlic, rosemary, olive oil, and black peppercorns. Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Remove from refrigeration 1 hour before cooking and wipe excess marinade off the steaks.
Sauce preparation:
In a heavy-bottomed pot, cook the onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil over medium heat until well browned. Add the garlic, bay leaves, and tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring. Add the balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, and wine, bring to a boil, and simmer until reduced by two-thirds. Add the veal or chicken stock, bring to a boil, and simmer, skimming occasionally, until reduced by two-thirds. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Cool and refrigerate if not using immediately.
Return the sauce to the heat and simmer until it lightly coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
Light the grill and let the coals cook down to a medium-hot fire. Season the filet mignon steaks liberally with salt and grill to the desired degree of doneness, about 4 minutes on each side for medium rare. Remove to a rack and keep warm while sides are dished. Pour any juices from the filet mignon steaks into the sauce and spoon the sauce over and around the steaks. Sprinkle with chive batons and serve immediately.
Yield: 6 servings
Source: Not Afraid of Flavor, Recipes from Magnolia Grill by Ben & Karen Barker (University of North Carolina Press)
Reprinted with permission.
Coat the filet mignon steaks with a marinade combining the balsamic vinegar, garlic, rosemary, olive oil, and black peppercorns. Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Remove from refrigeration 1 hour before cooking and wipe excess marinade off the steaks.
Sauce preparation:
In a heavy-bottomed pot, cook the onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil over medium heat until well browned. Add the garlic, bay leaves, and tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring. Add the balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, and wine, bring to a boil, and simmer until reduced by two-thirds. Add the veal or chicken stock, bring to a boil, and simmer, skimming occasionally, until reduced by two-thirds. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Cool and refrigerate if not using immediately.
Return the sauce to the heat and simmer until it lightly coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
Light the grill and let the coals cook down to a medium-hot fire. Season the filet mignon steaks liberally with salt and grill to the desired degree of doneness, about 4 minutes on each side for medium rare. Remove to a rack and keep warm while sides are dished. Pour any juices from the filet mignon steaks into the sauce and spoon the sauce over and around the steaks. Sprinkle with chive batons and serve immediately.
Yield: 6 servings
Source: Not Afraid of Flavor, Recipes from Magnolia Grill by Ben & Karen Barker (University of North Carolina Press)
Reprinted with permission.
