Seared Filet of Beef with Roasted Mushroom Sauce

“If you have never tried Wagyu or Kobe beef from Japan, you should, even if just once. This beef is so tender, so amazingly marbled, that it is unlike any other meat you will taste. Of course one can’t eat such expensive beef very often, but even prime filet mignon, if cooked properly, can echo the Kobe beef experience. You only need about 4 ounces for an adult serving, since it is so rich. We seared this beef quickly, finished it in the oven and topped it with a roasted mushroom sauce. You can also use rib eye, a less expensive cut, but it won’t be as tender.”

– Katie Wetzel Murphy, AVV Owner and Ambassador

Ingredients for Seared Filet of Beef:
1 lb. Filet Mignon medallions
4 oz. butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for Roasted Mushroom Sauce:
4 Shallots, peeled & sliced
½ lb. gourmet mushrooms (clamshell, nebrodini, nameko or pioppini)
½ lb. white mushrooms
Olive oil
4 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. bourbon
3 Tbsp. heavy cream

Method of Preparation for Seared Filet of Beef:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Liberally salt and pepper the outside of the beef. Melt butter in a cast iron or heavy skillet until just brown. Sear the beef on the outside for around 5 minutes until browned. Place in oven for ten to twelve minutes or until inside temperature is 120 degrees. This should be rare, do not over cook it. Remove from oven, allow beef to rest about 5 minutes. Slice ½ inch thick and serve with Old Vine Zin and roasted mushroom sauce if you like.

Method of Preparation for Roasted Mushroom Sauce:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice stem ends off mushrooms. Keep small varieties whole, cut large varieties into chunks. Mix shallots, mushrooms and a small amount of olive oil in a metal baking pan, just enough to coat the mixture but not enough to sit in the bottom of the pan. Add salt and pepper, roast in oven for 45 minutes, stirring after 20 minutes.

Remove shallot and mushroom mixture from the oven, and put on medium heat on the stove. Mix in butter until melted, then add bourbon and cream. Let cook down for about three minutes, then taste for seasoning. Serve over filet of beef.