Filet Mignon with Garlic and Herb Roasted Potatoes

This is the perfect dish to serve when you're craving steak and have a nice bottle of red wine that you want to open. It's also a tasty dish to serve if you're having company. Or maybe even for New Year's Eve!

I happen to have a little herb garden on my patio with just the right herbs which made this a nice dish to make. Of course if you live in the great white North it's hard to have an herb garden in December. Here in N. California it's easy peasy. I don't even have to water the pots thanks to mother nature.

Filet Mignon and Whole Grain Mustard Sauce 

4 (6oz) beef filets
1 T butter

Mustard Sauce

3 T butter
1/2 onion, diced
2 T shallots
1 T whole grain mustard
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth
2 T olive oil
1 T fresh tarragon, chopped
1 T fresh sage, chopped
1 T corn starch
1 T water

1. In a sauce pot over medium heat, add 1 T of the butter, onion and shallots. Cook until onions are lightly browned about 5 minutes.
2. Add the red wine, black pepper and thyme. Reduce by half.
3. Add the cornstarch mixture in the sauce.
4. Flavor the sauce with the mustard, butter chopped tarragon and sage.
5. Season finished sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

For the filet: grill the steaks 4-5 minutes on each side (depending on thickness) on a medium-high heat. Smear some butter on each steal and cover with foil for 5 minutes to rest before serving.

 
Garlic and Herb Roasted Potatoes

2 lbs fingerling potatoes halved and quartered
6 cloves of garlic halved or chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
1 sprig fresh oregano, chopped
2 T fresh rosemary, chopped
2 t. kosher salt
1 t. black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 425º

1. In a large bowl toss potatoes, herbs and garlic in olive oil with salt and pepper. Place mixture on a sheet tray or baking dish and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through and light brown.
2. Remove from oven and season with salt and pepper.


Ok. Confession time. These plants are on my patio. But I adopted them (in this beautiful condition) from my neighbor Elaine who recently moved. She knows how much I like to cook and thought I would enjoy the fresh herbs. So I have a huge responsibility to keep them alive!!!  


I placed them right in front of the sliding glass door in the kitchen so I can keep an eye on them. 


Wish me (and the plants) luck.