Fresh herbs not only look elegant as garnishes for this traditional filet mignon, but their flavor enhances it greatly. Sweet fennel and earthy mushrooms round out this satisfying dish. This filet mignon proves that Maribel Lieberman of MarieBelle New York’s culinary talents extend beyond sweets and into the savory realm. Though she is a master chocolatier, her cookbook Mariebelle Entertains covers all types of cooking techniques. This recipe is impressive, luxurious, but not too hard to master with a little bit of care and precision.
What is Filet Mignon?
Mignon means “cute,” in French, and if something is extra-cute, you might call it trop mignon, literally “too cute.” Though steak filets aren’t exactly kitten levels of adorable, the cut of filet mignon is much smaller than an ordinary piece of steak. The term “filet mignon” is generally attributed to American writer O. Henry, who used the term in his 1906 collection of short stories, The Four Million. In France, it usually refers to a pork tenderloin cut. Because it’s so small, it’s one of the most expensive cuts of you can get, hence its association with luxury and wealth. Maribel’s version of it is garnished with many vegetables to round out the dish, since the cut itself is so miniscule.
Seared Filet Mignon with Roasted Maitake Mushrooms & Fennel
- Yield: Serves 6
Description
Sweet fennel and earthy mushrooms round out this satisfying dish.
Ingredients
For the beef:
- Six 6–8 oz filet mignon steaks
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- Leaves of 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
For the vegetables:
- 8 oz maitake mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 8 oz oyster mushrooms, thickly sliced
- Leaves of 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced
- Leaves of 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- ¼ cup plus 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium bulb fennel, halved, cored, and sliced ¼ inch thick
- Sprigs of fresh bay leaves and fresh thyme, for garnish
Instructions
- Remove the steaks from the refrigerator 30 minutes to 1 hour before you plan to cook them to bring them to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees with racks in the upper and lower thirds.
- Combine the butter, shallot, rosemary, ½ teaspoon salt, and a generous amount of pepper. Mash with a fork to combine. Spread into a ramekin and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Meanwhile, for the vegetables, place the mushrooms on a baking sheet with half of the rosemary leaves, thyme leaves, and garlic. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and spread in a single layer.
- On a second baking sheet, toss the fennel with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the remaining rosemary, thyme, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and spread in a single layer. Roast, rotating the sheets from the front to back and top to bottom halfway through, until the vegetables are browned and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Leave the oven on.
- For the steaks, heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot, at least 2 minutes. Put the steaks on a plate, drizzle with the 2 tablespoons olive oil, and season well with salt and pepper.
- Sear the steaks in the pan until browned and crusty then flip and sear the second sides, about 2 minutes per side.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the steak is done to your liking, 4 to 6 minutes for rare to medium-rare (depending on the thickness of your steaks).
- Remove to a cutting board and let rest for a few minutes.
- Top each stead with a knob of the compound butter and serve with the mushrooms and fennel. Garnish with thyme and bay leaf sprigs.
Recipe by Maribel Lieberman
Reprinted with permission from Mariebelle Entertains: Savory and Sweet Recipes for Every Occasion from the Master Chocolatier published by Rizzoli, 2024
Photography by Mark Roskams
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