Filet Mignon with Bleu Cheese Polenta and Mushroom-Wine Reduction BeefEntréeCabernet Sauvignon “One of my favorite combinations in the world is steak and bleu cheese. The richness of the steak and the unctuousness of the cheese; work perfectly together. Add the umami of the mushroom-wine sauce and you have a nearly perfect dish to serve with the ASR Cabernet!” – Harry Wetzel, Head of Operations & Family Partner – Serves 4 – Ingredients: 4 Filet mignon steaks, about 1’’ thick 1 Tbsp. grape seed oil 3 Tbsp. butter, divided 1 shallot, minced 1 garlic clove, minced 12 oz. assorted fresh wild mushrooms, coarsely cut (Oyster, Maitake, Hen of the Woods, etc.) 1 tsp. thyme Salt and pepper, to taste 1 cup ASR Cabernet Sauvignon 1 cup beef broth Hot polenta, cooked according to package directions 4 oz. bleu cheese, crumbled Chives, chopped (garnish) Method of Preparation: Mushroom-Wine Reduction: Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a pan over medium heat. Add minced shallot and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add mushrooms and thyme, continue cooking until moisture is released and cooked off. Season with salt and pepper. Add red wine and beef broth. Reduce heat to low and allow the mushrooms to cook for about 20-30 minutes or until most of the liquid is evaporated. Turn off heat and set aside. Polenta: While mushroom mixture is reducing, cook polenta according to the package directions, then remove from heat and gently mix in the bleu cheese crumbles. Don’t fully incorporate the bleu cheese, there should be little pockets of cheese scattered throughout. Cover with a lid and place in a 200˚ oven to keep warm. Filet Mignon: Remove steaks from the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to cooking. When ready, heat a pan over high heat and add the grapeseed oil. Season steaks liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Once the oil is very hot but not smoking, add the steaks to the pan and reduce the heat to medium high. For rare steaks, cook on the first side for 4-5 minutes without disturbing them, then flip the steaks and cook an additional 4-5 minutes. For more well done, add another minute or two per side. Remove from pan and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Assembly: While the steaks are resting, reheat the mushroom-wine reduction over low heat. Add 2 Tbsp. butter and mix well. Place 2 discs of polenta on a plate, slightly overlapped. Place one steak at the end of the overlapping polenta and drizzle both with the mushroom-wine reduction and sprinkle chopped chives over everything.
