Filet Mignon Perfection

Hello and welcome to the second Saturday in August. Oh my, summer is certainly fading fast! Did you know that the second Saturday in August is National Bowling Day? What’s that – you don’t have a bowling ball? That’s okay, today is also National Garage Sale Day. Bet you can find a used ball cheap. Uh – no!

On the International Front today is Left Handers Day. It’s a day to celebrate all those South Paws among us. I have one sister who’s a lefty. And my only brother was a lefty, too. They say that only 10% of the world is left-handed. Guess my family is an anomaly, since we are at 50%. Once upon a time they thought the brain determined which hand was the dominants one. You’ve probably heard the expression “Left Handed People are the only ones in their Right Mind.” Now they believe genetic differences in the spine determine left or right hand dominance long before birth. So who knows. If you are one of those rare left-handed people, then cheers to you!

Speaking of cheers, today is also Prosecco Day. If you are unfamiliar with Prosecco, it is a sparkling wine made from a variety of grapes. Not a champagne, but often used to celebrate special occasions. And today is a great day for celebrating – it’s National Filet Mignon Day. Filet Mignon is that most tender of steaks taken from the smaller end of the tenderloin, or point of the tenderloin. It is amazingly lean, which means it can become dry quickly. Filet Mignon should always be served medium-rare at most. And it surrenders graciously to butters, wine reductions or other silky sauces. So embrace this day with a steak fitting any elegant celebration.

Pan Seared Filet Mignon au Vin
4 (6-oz) 1-inch thick Filet Mignon
Salt lightly to taste
Fresh Black Pepper to taste
1/2 White Onion
3 Garlic Cloves
16 oz White Mushrooms
2 tablespoons Butter
1/2 cup Red Wine

Season the steaks with salt and fresh pepper to taste. Set steaks aside.

Cut onion in half from root to tip. Reserve half for another use. Peel and finely mince remaining half, set aside. Peel and finely mince garlic, set aside. Clean mushroom, trim and thinly slice. Set aside.

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat the skillet over medium heat. Add the steaks and cook for 6 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. Remove from the skillet; set aside and keep warm.

Melt the butter in the skillet over medium-high heat; add the onion, garlic, mushrooms, season to taste with salt and pepper. Sauté the mushroom-onion mixture until tender and the mushrooms have release their juices.

Add the wine; cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until the wine is reduced by half. Serve the steaks on individual plates; topped with the red wine sauce. Bon Appetit!