Filet Mignon on Charred Onions, Zucchini W/ Balsamic Sauce

"A quite delicious entree from Patrick O'Connell of the Inn at Little Washington. The sauce can be made in advance and held in a thermos; the vegetables can be seared in advance and placed on serving plates and warmed in the oven, leaving just the filets to sear at dinner time."
 
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Ready In:
45mins
Ingredients:
9
Serves:
4
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ingredients

  • For the sauce

  • 1 18 cups red wine (cabernet or pinot noir)
  • 1 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 shallot, peeled and halved
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
  • salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • For the Filets and Vegetables

  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large white onion, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
  • 2 medium zucchini, trimmed and cut diagonally into 3/4-inch slices
  • 4 (5 -6 ounce) filet mignon
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directions

  • For the sauce:

  • In a small, heavy bottomed pan, combine wine vinegar and the shallot.
  • Place over medium heat, bring to a boil and reduce to a syrupy consistency.
  • Remove from heat, discard the shallot and whisk in the butter, one piece at a time.
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper and keep warm till ready to serve.
  • For the Beef and vegetables:

  • Place a heavy cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot.
  • Add only enough olive oil to leave a film on the surface of the skillet.
  • Place onion slices in one layer and cook until lightly charred on the bottom -- do not blacken.
  • Turn with tongs or a spatula and char on the other side -- the onions should be soft.
  • Transfer to paper towels.
  • Season zucchini slices with salt and pepper.
  • Return skillet to high heat and when very hot, film the surface with olive oil and place the zucchini in the skillet in one layer.
  • Sear for 2 to 3 minutes or until the bottoms of the slices blister.
  • Turn and cook for one minute more, until lightly golden.
  • Remove from heat and transfer to paper towels.
  • Brush filets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  • Return skillet to high heat.
  • When skillet is very hot, sear filets for two minutes on each side for rare (or longer, if you prefer).
  • To serve:

  • Arrange three zucchini ovals on each of four warmed plates so that the ovals meet in the center of the plate.
  • Arrange three or four onion rings over the zucchini on each plate.
  • Place a filet on top of the onion on each plate and pool sauce on each plate.
  • Top the filets with more onion and serve immediately.

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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

<p>I have always loved to cook. When I was little, I cooked with my Grandmother who had endless patience and extraordinary skill as a baker. And I cooked with my Mother, who had a set repertoire, but taught me many basics. Then I spent a summer with a French cousin who opened up a whole new world of cooking. And I grew up in New York City, which meant that I was surrounded by all varieties of wonderful food, from great bagels and white fish to all the wonders of Chinatown and Little Italy, from German to Spanish to Mexican to Puerto Rican to Cuban, not to mention Cuban-Chinese. And my parents loved good food, so I grew up eating things like roasted peppers, anchovies, cheeses, charcuterie, as well as burgers and the like. In my own cooking I try to use organics as much as possible; I never use canned soup or cake mix and, other than a cheese steak if I'm in Philly or pizza by the slice in New York, I don't eat fast food. So, while I think I eat and cook just about everything, I do have friends who think I'm picky--just because the only thing I've ever had from McDonald's is a diet Coke (and maybe a frie or two). I have collected literally hundreds of recipes, clipped from the Times or magazines, copied down from friends, cajoled out of restaurant chefs. Little by little, I am pulling out the ones I've made and loved and posting them here. Maybe someday, every drawer in my apartment won't crammed with recipes. (Of course, I'll always have those shelves crammed with cookbooks.) I'm still amazed and delighted by the friendliness and the incredible knowledge of the people here. 'Zaar has been a wonderful discovery for me.</p>
 
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