Decadent New Year's Eve Dinner (Part Two): Filet Mignon, Pupu-Style with Baked Garlic and Gorgonzola Sauce

I served this Pupu (Appetizer) on New Year's Eve 2009 for a special treat for my family and friends, Tom and Holly, who were joining us. I had already pre-prepared my entree, Seafood Gratin, and it was ready to go in the oven. So, I could get started on the Filet Mignon Pupu.

Serving a filet as a Pupu is a more economical great way to give everyone a taste of a great cut of meat, with delicious flavor. Count on about 1 filet for every two people. This recipe can also be used to serve Filet Mignon as an entree. My husband and guests swooned over this recipe. Definitely a keeper.

Filet Mignon Pupu-Style with Baked Garlic & Gorgonzola Sauce

Serves 8
Filet
4 - 4-6 oz Filet Mignon Steaks
Extra-virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1 Tbsp finely chopped Rosemary
4 large cloves baked garlic
4 pats butter

Baked Garlic
2 heads of Garlic
Cut top of head of garlic
Drizzle with olive oil
Bake is small oven-proof dish at 400 for about 25 minutes. Let cool.
Remove 4 large cloves from one of the heads for the Filet Mignon recipe, and save the rest to serve with and spread on a fresh French Baguette.

Gorgonzola Sauce
1 Large Shallot (diced)
2 Cups Beef Stock
1 Tsp finely diced Rosemary
1 Cup Dry Sherry or Madiera Wine
1/4 Cup Dry Red Wine
4 oz Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Tbsp Butter

Cooking the Steaks - This is a FOOLPROOF way to cook Filet Mignon
Preheat oven to 375.

Salt and pepper all sides of 4 Filet Mignon steaks (4-6 oz each)
Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in stainless steel or enameled cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.

Add steaks to pan. Sear each side for 3 minutes, flipping with tongs.

Remove steaks and place on baking sheet.
Bake steaks in oven for 8 minutes (med rare) - set timer. Start making Gorgonzola Sauce with same pan used to sear steaks (see below).

When timer goes off, remove baking sheet, leave oven on. Flip steaks.
Smash a baked garlic clove (see Baked Garlic, above) on each filet and spread with butter knife. Sprinkle each steak with a about 1/2 tsp of rosemary, and top with a pat of butter.
Return steaks to oven. Bake for an additional 8 minutes (med rare) - set timer. Go back to making sauce.

When timer goes off, remove steaks from oven. Let rest for a few minutes, while finishing up Sauce.

Save any accumulated juices and add to Gorgonzola Sauce.

Slice and serve Pupu-Style with Gorzonzola Dipping Sauce, French Bread & Baked Garlic OR
Serve Filets individually, as entrees, in a pool of Gorgonzola Sauce or with a Gorgonzola Sauce drizzle.

Preparing Gorgonzola Sauce
In same skillet used for searing steaks, which should still have some olive oil remaining, saute shallot and 1 tps rosemary for 2-3 minutes, over medium-high heat, until shallots are slightly translucent. There should be some accumulated brown bits from the steaks. Add the sherry or madiera, and red wine. Deglaze pan and reduce liquid to about 1/2, stirring with a wire whisk. Add 1 Tbsp butter, stirring to melt. Add 1 cup beef stock, reducing again to about 1/2. Add another Tbsp of butter. Continue stirring. Add 2d up of the beef stock, reduce again to about 1/2.

Add gorzonzola cheese crumbles, stirring with a whisk until melted and blended. Add any available drippings from cooked filets.
Reduce sauce, if necessary, until slightly thickened. It will still be a bit runny. Add salt and pepper to taste. Use as dipping sauce or drizzle on meat.

For the Love of Beef

I went through a phase where I rarely ate red meat. Like all things good, beef has been shunned as unhealthy from time to time. I think now that beef is experiencing a rennaissance of sorts. People are remembering how deliciously juicy, savory and satisfying a steak can be. And lean cuts, in particular, can be quite healthy --- Beef is high in protien, iron, zinc, selenium and B vitamins.

My strong preference is for natural or organic beef. Tastes better, looks better, smells better, and better for you. Most people do not understand the difference between organic and natural beef. I was a little confused myself, so I checked into this a bit.

To be labeled as "Natural" beef, the USDA has required that the beef is minimally processed with no artificial additives or preservatives. There are no official standards as to how the animals are raised or what they are fed, so they are not necessarily free-range or grass fed. Generally, natural means that the cows have not been given and antibiotics, artifical hormones or steroids.

"Certified Organic" beef means cattle that is raised on land that is certified organic. That means that chemicals (such as pesticides and herbicides) have not been used on the land which has been used for grazing the cows for at least three years. Cows also are not grain-fed and have not been given growth hormones, antibiotics or steroids.

Natural beef is easier to find than organic. Some retailers, such as Whole Foods have implemented their own high standards for acceptable beef and other meat products. In Hawaii, Costco and the Military Base Commissaries are now carrying some organics, but mainly you have to go to health food or natural food specialty stores to find a selection of natural or organic meat products. And, with the exception of Whole Foods, most of what you find is frozen.

The farmers' markets are another resource for free-range, natural and organic products.

On Oahu:

Sunday Farmers' Market in Mililani
Mililani High School Parking Lot
Sundays8am - Noon

Hawaii Kai Farmers' Market (produce)
Hawaii Kai Towne Center
Mondays & Saturdays 7:30am - 3:30pm

Waikiki Farmers' Market (produce, island-style foods)
Waikiki Community Center
Tuesdays & Fridays7am - 1pm

Fort Street Open Market (produce, flowers & plants, arts & crafts)
Tuesdays & Fridays Wilcox Park (in front of Macy's Downtown) 8am - 2pm
Wednesdays
Pauahi & Fort Street 8am - 2pm

Farmers' Market in Kailua (produce, flowers, dinner foods)
Thursday Kailua Town Center Parking Garage (behind Long's)
5pm - 7:30pm

Saturday Farmers' Market (produce, flowers, breakfast foods)
Kapiolani CC Parking Lot C
Saturdays 7:30am - 11am

He'eia Open Market (produce, flowers & plants, arts & crafts)
46-465 Kamehameha Hwy Kaneohe He'eia State Park
Sundays 9am - 3pm

The best place to go, though expensive, is Whole Foood in Kahala. Another WholeFoods is coming to Kailua in 2110. Hawaii still has a long way to go before natural and organic meat products are readily available.