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Filet Mignons with Blue Cheese Butter and Cranberry Zinfandel Sauce Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

These tender filet mignon steaks are napped with a rosemary-infused red wine reduction and topped with a luxurious compound butter, making this dish worthy of any celebration.

Ingredients

  • 3 large heads garlic
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 ounces (40g) blue cheese, room temperature

Sauce:

  • 1/3 cup (80ml) dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup (60g) plus 2 cups (480ml) red Zinfandel wine
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 cup (240ml) beef broth
  • 1 (2-inch/5cm) sprig rosemary

Smashed potatoes:

  • 2 1/2 pounds (1.25kg) Yukon gold potatoes, quartered
  • Salt
  • 3/4 cup (180ml) sour cream
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) roasted garlic puree
  • 4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1.25ml) freshly ground black pepper

Steaks:

  • 6 filet mignons, each about 6 ounces (170g)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter, softened, divided

Serves 6

Instructions

Roast the garlic:
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Peel away the outer layers from the garlic head, leaving the cloves intact. Slice about 1/4-inch (0.5cm) from the tops of each garlic head. Arrange, cut-side up, on a large piece of foil. Lightly drizzle with the oil, then fold the foil up around the garlic and seal. Bake the garlic in the oven until the garlic is tender, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove and cool to the touch, then squeeze the garlic into a bowl, and mash with a fork to form a paste. There should be about 1/2 cup (120ml).

Make the compound butter:
Mash the butter, cheese, and 1 teaspoon (5ml) of the roasted garlic paste in a small bowl to blend. Place the butter on a piece of plastic wrap and roll into a cylinder about 3-inches (7.5cm) in length. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator 10 minutes before serving and cut into 6 equal disks.

Prepare the sauce:
Combine the cranberries and 1/4 cup (60ml) Zinfandel in a small bowl.
Melt 1 tablespoon (15g) butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the 2 cups (480ml) Zinfandel, the broth, and rosemary. Boil the sauce until reduced by half, about 25 minutes. Strain the sauce into a bowl through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids. Drain the cranberries and add to the sauce; discard the soaking liquid.

Prepare the potatoes:
While the sauce is reducing, place the potatoes and 1 teaspoon (5ml) salt in a pot and cover with cold water. Boil until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Add the sour cream, roasted garlic, butter, pepper, and 1 teaspoon (5ml) salt and mash the potatoes with a potato masher until well blended. Keep warm.

Cook the filet mignons:
Season the filet mignons with salt and pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons (30g) butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange the meat in the skillet and cook to desired doneness, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer the steaks to warm serving plates and top each steak with a knob of compound butter.

Pour the reserved wine sauce into the same skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 minutes. Whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30g) butter until smooth and remove from the heat.

Spoon the sauce around the steaks. Serve with the garlic smashed potatoes.

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