Grilled Filet Mignon with a Brandy-Red Wine Mushroom Sauce

This elegant dinner has Valentine’s Day written all over it. A beautiful steak, mushrooms, red wine… a match made in heaven. Yes, just like you and your sweetheart. Sure, you could go out to dinner along with the rest of the world – or you could do something really romantic and surprise your special someone with a gorgeous dinner. And this my friends, is exactly that. Grilled to a beautiful medium rare, the steak is complemented by a divine brandy-red wine sauce. Grab your wine glass, a rich Cabernet and fire up your grill.

• Two eight oz. beef tenderloin filets
• Montreal Steak Seasoning, or simply salt and pepper if you prefer
• 1/2 cup beef stock
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms
• 1 shallot, minced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard

First, let’s prep the steaks and then turn to the sauce. So, my sous chef and I prefer that the filets are as lean as possible (and an inch and a quarter thick) – although some marbling and fat will add flavor to the steaks. I tend to trim most of the fat from the filets.

After trimming the meat, generously season the filets with Montreal Steak Seasoning (this can be found with other dried herbs, etc. at your grocery store).

Let your grill heat up to 400 to 415 degrees. We want it to get super hot so we are able to create gorgeous grill marks (yes, it’s the little things).  While it’s heating up, let’s turn to the sauce. The filets will only cook for twelve minutes (for medium rare) so not to worry, the sauce can simmer while cooking the steaks.

Heat the olive oil in your sauce pan. Once hot let’s add our minced shallots and garlic.

Let saute for 2-4 minutes and add the mushrooms.

After the mushrooms are cooked through, deglaze the pan with the brandy and red wine (be sure not to use the wine that’s supposed to be in your glass!). Bring to a boil and let the liquid cook down for 5-7 minutes. Then, add your beef stock, heavy cream and butter. The sweetness from the butter gives the sauce a velvety texture and balances against the alcohol in the sauce. I would advise against omitting it. Season with salt and pepper and let simmer and thicken while we turn back to the steaks.

Next, throw the steaks on the grill once it’s nice and hot. I cook the steaks for three minutes and then shift the filets for criss-cross grill marks and continue to cook for an additional three minutes (six minutes total per side). Flip and repeat. If the beauty of these steaks speaks to how delicious they’re going to be, you know what’s coming down the pike. Yummy, delectable goodness.

A perfect medium-rare.

Check back on your sauce – if it hasn’t thickened to your liking whip up a cornstarch slurry and add (mixing vigorously) until your desired thickness has been achieved. Plate these stunning steaks and prepare to be amazed (not to mention, to amaze your sweetheart!).

Wine is not a question with this dinner; it’s a must. No matter how much you want to spend for this special dinner, there is surely a rich, velvety Cabernet to please. A couple of my choices in different price points for this dish are the Sebastiani, Ferrari Carano, Ghost Pines, Charles Krug and Silver Oak to name a few. You won’t go wrong, I promise.

Cheers!