Cooking With Rania: Filet Mignon And New York Strip Steak
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- This week, Rania Harris is in the Pittsburgh Today Live kitchen with two steak recipes!
Pepper Crusted Filet Mignon with Blue Cheese-Chive Butter
Ingredients:
- 5 tablespoons black peppercorns, cracked
- 5 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1-1/2 teaspoons table salt
- 4 (7- to 8-ounce) center-cut filet mignons, 1-1/2 to 2 inches thick, dried thoroughly with paper towels.
Directions:
Heat the peppercorns and 5 tablespoons of the oil in a small saucepan over low heat until faint bubbles appear. Continue to cook at a bare simmer, swirling the pan occasionally, until the pepper is fragrant, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. When the mixture is at room temperature, add the salt and stir to combine. Rub the steaks with the pepper mixture, thoroughly coating the top and bottom of each steak with the peppercorns. Cover the steaks with plastic wrap and press gently to make sure the peppercorns adhere; let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, adjust an oven rack to the middle position, place a rimmed baking sheet on the oven rack, and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until faint smoke appears. Place the steaks in the skillet and cook, without moving the steaks, until a dark brown crust has formed, 3 to 4 minutes. Using tongs, turn the steaks and cook until well-browned on the second side, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the steaks to the hot baking sheet. Roast until the center of the steaks registers 120 degrees on an instant-read thermometer for rare (5 to 7 minutes), and 125 degrees for medium-rare (6 to 8 minutes). Transfer the steaks to a wire rack and let rest, loosely tented with foil, for about 10 minutes before serving.
Blue Cheese-Chive Butter
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/3 cup crumbled mild blue cheese, at room temperature
- 1/8 teaspoon table salt
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
Directions:
Combine the butter, cheese, and salt in a medium bowl and mix with a stiff rubber spatula until smooth. Fold in the chives. While the steaks are resting, spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of the butter on each one.
Pan-Seared New York Strip Steaks with Green Peppercorn Sauce:
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 (8-ounce) boneless strip steaks (1 to 1-1/4-inch thick, thoroughly dried with paper towels)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until just smoking. Meanwhile, season both sides of the steaks with salt and pepper.
Lay the steaks in the pan, leaving ¼-inch space between them. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook, not moving the steaks until well-browned, about 3-4 minutes. Using tongs, flip the steaks; cook until the center of the steaks registers 125 degrees for medium-rare (about 4-5 minutes). Transfer the steaks to a large plate, tent with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes while preparing the sauce.
Brandy and Green-Peppercorn Sauce
- 1 small shallot, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- ½ cup brandy
- ¼ cup reconstituted Beef/Veal demi-glace concentrate (see note below *)
- ¼ teaspoon red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons green peppercorns, rinsed
- ¼ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
After transferring the steaks to a plate to rest, return the now-empty skillet to medium-low heat; add the shallot and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the brandy and bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Add the beef/veal demi-glace sauce, vinegar, heavy cream, peppercorns, thyme, and any accumulated juices from the steaks; return to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Off the heat, season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the steaks and serve.
Note: Demi-glace concentrate available at specialty food shops.
