THURSDAY
Filet Mignon Sliders with Sautéed Mushrooms on Toasted Brioche Buns | Kale Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette & Parmesan Shavings
I knew Michael would be coming home today when I planned our dinner menu last week. After four days of airplane food and meals eaten during meetings in conference rooms, I wanted to prepare a dinner that was special {without being fussy} and easy to prepare so we could enjoy the evening as a family. Adapting a favorite filet mignon recipe into luxurious sliders fit the bill.
Certainly not your average sandwich or burger, these sliders were indulgent. Incredibly tender filet, seared, finished in the oven and then thinly sliced…
And piled on top of toasted, buttery brioche slider rolls…
Then, topped with mushrooms sautéed with shallots and garlic in Madeira and cream…
Served along with a simple kale salad {click here for recipe}…
This dinner clearly conveyed…”Welcome Home”…
Just a note on the quantities…2 good-sized filet mignons would be enough to make 4-5 mini sliders. However, for our family of five {with a 15 year old boy just home from a football conditioning session…he ate three sandwiches!} I cooked 4 filets. We had one filet left over which will be served up with eggs in the morning for a substantial breakfast for the family. Also, you may notice in the picture of the ingredients for the sauce the bottle of Noilly-Pratt vermouth. I was toying with the idea of using vermouth for the mushrooms because that is usually how I prepare our sautéed-style mushrooms but decided, in the end, to stick with the madeira. We always use madeira when preparing our prime rib and it complements the tender beef so well. The madeira was definitely the right choice for this dish.
Filet Mignon Sliders {adapted from this recipe at Epicurious}
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 ounces button mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms
- 2 large shallots, minced {about a ½ cup}, divided
- 4 garlic cloves, pushed through a garlic press, divided
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 4, 1½ inch-thick filet mignon steaks
- ¾ cup Madeira
- 1½ cups beef broth {preferably homemade}
- ½ cup whipping cream
- Bakery-fresh mini brioche slider buns, split and toasted
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a baking sheet lined with parchment paper into the oven to heat.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add ¼ cup shallots and half of garlic and sauté until shallots are soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in thyme; season with salt and pepper. Transfer mushroom mixture to medium bowl and set aside.
- Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and sear about 4 minutes per side. Transfer steaks to the heated baking sheet and check their internal temperature with a meat thermometer {for medium rare, the finished steaks should register 130°F} and return to oven to finish cooking for approximately 5-10 minutes or until the meat registers an internal temperature of 130°F. When finished, remove steaks to a cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes before thinly slicing.
- Meanwhile, add remaining ¼ cup shallots and garlic to same skillet. Sauté 2 minutes. Add Madeira and boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add broth and boil until mixture is reduced to 2/3 cup, about 6 minutes. Add cream and boil until sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in reserved mushroom mixture. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Remove pan from heat.
- To assemble sandwiches, place 3-4 slices of filet on the bottom of each toasted bun. Spoon some of the mushroom sauce over and cover with the top of the bun. Serve immediately.
