365 in 365 - #110, #111, #112 & #113- Filet Mignon, Wine Sauce, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Grilled Asparagus

Good Morning Everyone!!!

I just couldn't sleep any more so I decided to get a head start on the morning by posting a couple of recipes.  This is a recipe that I entered into the Beringer Steak Contest over the last few months.  I have not heard anything so I have come to the hopeful conclusion that this recipe is so very good that no one else stood a chance and the recipe was eliminated to be fair to all the other entries......yes, I'll keep on dreaming.

No matter how the contest turned out, this is a great recipe. It's not too fancy, in fact is is simple and straight-forward and this is also a great Sunday dinner.

Beringer Steak Contest

Filet Mignon, cooked rare to medium rare

Sauteed mushrooms

1 package mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

Garnish - Crumbled Maytag Bleu Cheese

For the Wine Sauce

1 bottle of Beringer Petite Sirah

1 teaspoon of minced garlic

2 shallots, minced and caramelized in butter 

½ cup honey

2 tablespoona cornstarch dissolved in21 tablespoons cold water

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

6 large red bliss potatoes, peeled and cooked until soft

1 head of roasted garlic, mashed

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 stick of butter

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Grilled Asparagus

Asparagus

Olive Oil

Smoked Salt

Cracked black pepper

In a heavy bottom skillet, reduce the wine by one third, add the garlic, shallots, salt and pepper and let simmer gently for 3 to 5 minutes until the garlic is softened, stirring constantly.  Add the honey and stir, let simmer very gently for 3 to 5 minutes more.  The wine sauce needs to coat the back of a wooden spoon.  If it needs to be thickened, add the cornstarch and water mixture by teaspoonfuls letting the wine come back to a simmer after each addition of cornstarch and water.   

Place 1/3 cup of sauce on the plate, center the filet mignon on the sauce, add another 1/3 cup sauce, 1/3 cup mushrooms and sprinkle with 1/8 cup crumbled bleu cheese.

For the Potatoes

Heat the cream 

Melt the butter

Process the potatoes and roasted garlic through the ricer or food mill

Add the butter to the potatoes and combine.  Add 1/4 cup of cream and stir.  If needed, add additional cream to reach desired consistency.

For the Asparagus

Trim and peel. drizzle with olive oil and grill to desired tenderness.

Sprinkle with smoked salt and pepper and serve.

From the heart of my purple kitchen to you,

Enjoy!

S.