Meat in the diet is neglected only by principal vegetarians and fasting people (these are only on church days). They are cooked with love, according to carefully selected recipes and with their own tested refinements. Because no one wants to lose the main decoration of the table - meat dishes due to sloppiness. And of all the varieties of meat, the king is rightfully considered filet mignon. What is it, unfortunately, not everyone knows. What a pity: such culinary illiteracy deprives you of wonderful taste pleasure.
Filet Mignon: what is it
For starters, this is the most expensive cut in the carcass. And the most delicious. And all because the filet mignon is not a very large muscle, which is part of the tenderloin. This muscle has almost no load throughout the life of the animal that went under the knife. As a result, the meat is the least tough and at the same time practically does not contain fat. Juiciness, tenderness and softness - these are the characteristics that only filet mignon steak boasts and no other! And it is prepared very quickly, although without knowing some of the subtleties, a valuable cut can simply be "screwed up".
If it comes to filet mignon, what it is, there is debate. So, the British believe that under this name only beef can appear. And the French say that pork also makes a chic minion. The main thing is that the right piece is launched under it.
Sweet and sour minion sauce
So, you allowed yourself to buy filet mignon, what it is, sorted it out, you chose the right piece and now you’re wondering how to cook it. Try using this recipe.
A half-kilo of the necessary meat is cut into slices of about 2.5 cm. A spoon mixes a spoonful of oil (preferably rapeseed), half a spoonful of sugar and a spoonful of pepper and salt. Fillet is immersed in the mixture and left for an hour. At this time, 3 tablespoons of sugar are combined in the bowl, the same amount of soy sauce and fish sauce plus a couple of tablespoons of wine vinegar and a spoonful of rice wine. In a hot frying pan, a third glass of vegetable oil is heated and minions are fried for a minute on each side. Then almost all of the liquid that drains out is drained, chopped onion feathers, three garlic cloves and a red onion are poured into the pan, and after half a minute the sauce is poured. How to boil - add a spoonful of butter and shake the pan to cook until the butter melts. Served on watercress and with lime slices.
In aromatic oil
Of course, there are other ways to make filet mignon. The recipe that goes next will surely appeal to lovers of spicy. For the marinade, 2 cups of natural tomato juice, a quarter cup of pepper, two tablespoons of lime juice, a spoonful of grated horseradish and Worcester sauce, a spoonful of hot sauce and a half of pepper and salt are mixed. Steaks are placed in the mixture - it will be enough for 4 minions of 170 g each, weighing 4 centimeters thick. The bowl is covered and hid in the refrigerator for an hour and a half, after which it is left on the table for another half hour. For aromatic oil, 4 spoons of soft oil, garlic clove, one and a half spoons of grated horseradish, a spoon of lime juice and a quarter of coarse salt and ground pepper are punched in the combine. The mass is tightly wrapped in a film and cooled for about half an hour. Minions are dried, greased with vegetable oil (ideally olive) and fried on a grill, oiled with hot oil. They are served with him.
Pepper and Cognac
This recipe produces a wonderful filet mignon, a photo confirms this fact unequivocally. And complex manipulations are not required. The meat only needs to be sprinkled with cognac and aged for 45 minutes, not hiding in the refrigerator. Then grate with pepper and fry in butter for a couple of minutes on each side. Next, the minions are transferred to a heated plate, and the culinary specialist is engaged in the sauce.
For him, chopped shallots are fried in a small amount of vegetable and ghee. When the frying becomes transparent, pour 3 tablespoons of cognac and set on fire. Cooking is carried out until the flame is extinguished, after which a quarter cup of beef broth is poured, the pan is left on the fire for another three minutes. The minions watered with this sauce have a divine taste!
Filet Mignon with Mushrooms
It turns out just a delicious dish. First, onions and mushrooms are fried. It turns out especially sophisticated with forest ones, but champignons will not spoil the taste. The roasting is transferred to a bowl, and minions, salted and pepper, are laid in its place. They are aged in a pan for three minutes on each side. Then frying is added to the meat, and all the components simmer for 5-10 minutes while stirring. So that the beef does not dry out, it is periodically necessary to pour it with melted butter.
Meat with onion and lingonberry sauce
Another wonderful way to cook beef filet mignon. Calculation of products - per 800 g of meat. If it was stored in your refrigerator, you will have to wait until it naturally warms up to room temperature - so the steaks will be more delicious. Just enough time to cut a large onion into very thin half rings.
The beef is cut in fairly thick round slices. Each of them turns into a strip of bacon, which is fixed with culinary thread (tighten it harder, as the meat will give a frying and shrink a little). Then the minions are smeared with olive oil and pressed to a heated pan. It is necessary to fry for 3-5 minutes, at first pressing the steaks with a spatula.
For the sauce, onion is fried in a spoonful of butter until golden, then a glass of cream is poured, and after mixing, a couple of spoons of d'arbo lingonberry sauce. Remove the gravy immediately, otherwise the sauce will become too thick. To eat - immediately, first pouring the sauce on the plate, and placing the filet mignon on top.