FILET OF BEEF WITH TEXAS BLUE CHEESE SAUCE

FILET OF BEEF WITH TEXAS BLUE CHEESE SAUCE image

Yield 8 people

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 lbs. center piece beef tenderloin
salt and freshly ground pepper
1-2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 Tbsp. minced shallots (about 2 small shallot)
3 Tbsp. dry Madeira or ruby port wine
2 cups beef stock, reduced to 1/2 cup (or 1/2 cup demi-glace)
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 oz. Texas blue cheese
4-5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
6 Tbsp. chopped walnuts, for garnish
1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley, for garnish

Steps:

Lightly sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Rub a little oil on the beef and refrigerate, loosely covered with plastic wrap, up to 24 hours. One to two hours before cooking, remove meat from refrigerator and pat dry. Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat a non-stick skillet and rub a little more oil all over the fillets. Sear fillets on all sides, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to a wire rack and let rest at least 20 minutes. Discard any fat in the pan, add shallots and Madeira and reduce to a glaze. Add the beef stock and reduce to a syrupy consistency, about 10 minutes. Add cream and cook until the sauce has a nice beige color. Place the nuts on a baking tray and lightly toast in preheated oven, about 10 minutes. In a food processor, mix blue cheese and 4 Tbsp. butter until smooth and creamy. (If too salty, add up to another Tbsp. butter.) Separate into 4 parts and refrigerate. Preheat oven to 450°F. Finish the beef fillets in the oven for approximately 19-20 minutes for medium rare. Meanwhile, over low heat gently rewarm the syrupy sauce in the skillet; swirl in the cheese-butter pieces one by one. Spoon sauce onto warm serving plates.