Black Pepper And Porcini–crusted Filet With Herbed Butter
Maître d’hôtel butter is a steak’s best friend. With this classic French accompaniment, the butter melts into the meat for added juiciness, while its herbs help mellow the meat’s fat. Steak is actually one of the easiest foods to cook in cast iron. The cast iron retains heat so well that you are guaranteed to get a nice sear. But when you’re cooking indoors, it can get smoky, so this recipe calls for finishing the steak in the oven. If you have a large double-handled fry pan that can fit all four steaks, great. But don’t worry if you don’t. Just cook the steaks in batches to prevent overcrowding the pan.
Jump To :
SERVINGS
4
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1⁄2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 (6-ounce) filet mignon steaks (1½ inches thick)
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- In a small bowl, combine the butter, chives, rosemary, garlic, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
- In a spice grinder or blender, finely grind the dried porcinis, then pour them onto a plate in an even layer. Liberally sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper, then press the steaks into the porcini powder.
- Pour the oil into a large doubled-handed cast-iron fry pan and heat it over medium-high heat until barely smoking. Sear the steaks for 3 minutes per side, then place the pan in the oven for about 3 minutes, until the internal temperature reads 125°F on a meat thermometer for medium rare.
- Remove the steaks from the oven and place them on a plate. Cover with aluminum foil and let the steaks rest for 5 minutes, then top with a dollop of the herbed butter and serve.
