[richardt]

Does anyone have a good Filet Manhattan recipe?  I got a craving for it and I can't find a good recipe online.

I used to go to a restaurant in Daytona Beach, FL (Rosario's) that served an awesome succulent filet mignon marinated in whiskey or bourbon and vermouth and crusted with peppercorns.  It was usually accompanied by sauteed portobello mushrooms (similar "manhattan" marinade sauce) and peas/french onions.

I also wonder about how long to marinade-so any suggestions would be welcome.

If you've got a great steak au poive recipe--I'd love to see it, too!

[Pawtucket Patriot]

For steak au poivre, it doesn't get much better than this.  Like many of Ina's recipes, it's based on Julia Child's.  Obviously, you don't need to use filet.  I actually prefer top sirloin or even ribeye.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/filet-of-beef-au-poivre-recipe/index.html

[blatz]

hmm - that looks damned tasty, matt.

richardt - I have all Ina's books and can tell you that they are the most 'weathered' cookbooks in my house, so don't hestitate to give that one a try!

[nicneufeld]

I like the idea of adapting steak au poivre to bourbon/vermouth, ala "Manhattan".  Bourbon having that rich caramel sweetness combined with the savory, herbal bitterness of sweet vermouth, sounds like a perfect reduction glaze for a good steak with some peppercorns and mushrooms!

[blatz]

yeah, I'm going to have to give this recipe a shot.  *mouth watering*

[bluesman]

I like the idea of adapting steak au poivre to bourbon/vermouth, ala "Manhattan".  Bourbon having that rich caramel sweetness combined with the savory, herbal bitterness of sweet vermouth, sounds like a perfect reduction glaze for a good steak with some peppercorns and mushrooms!

...and a splash of some aged balsamic for a little kick.

[richardt]

I like the idea of adapting steak au poivre to bourbon/vermouth, ala "Manhattan".  Bourbon having that rich caramel sweetness combined with the savory, herbal bitterness of sweet vermouth, sounds like a perfect reduction glaze for a good steak with some peppercorns and mushrooms!

...and a splash of some aged balsamic for a little kick.

Quite possible now that you mention it, Bluesman.
It was so savory and complex--all the tastebuds were saying something!

[capozzoli]

Awesome dish, that recipe is good just replace that can beef broth with homemade demi glace. That is what makes it so good in fine steak house. That and dry aged beef.

For the demi glaze. (How ever you spell that word.) make a beef stock with bones and reduce it by half even two thirds. Then add some Burgundy wine. 

We make a fillet beef wellington with home made pastry crust. Then sear the cracked grren pepper corn crusted fillets leaving them rare. Then wrap them in the dough. Bake on high tll the crust is golden brown. Serve on top of a thick demi glaze beef stock and red wine reduction.  To die for!

[nicneufeld]

That beef wellington sounds fantastic.  Sadly most of these recipes aren't in the cards because lately I balk at buying meat that exceeds $2 a lb.

Kudos on the balsamic addition, I agree!  I might even like a sprinkling of worcestershire...maybe a bit too heavy handed, but its salty, fermented tang goes great with beef.

[capozzoli]

Nic, do you have any good butchers around you? For me the grocery store is never the place to buy meat. Half of them dont even have a decent butcher employed.

I go to the Italian market or a couple of other family butcher shops. I get the "freezer pleasers" There are some pretty good deals and in comaprison to the grocery store prices it is like half. 

Korean stores are usually great for good meat prices too.

[nicneufeld]

Most of the specialty meat / butcher places around here move in the opposite direction...up in price.  I might consider the Korean shop, though, as they had some lovely looking extremely thin sliced beef or veal another person in line was buying.  It's a bit too far out of the way though for regular stopping by.

[richardt]

PP-thanks for the link to Ina's site. Never heard of her until now (but better late than never).

So, should I just adapt Ina's recipe for steak au poive and substitute the bourbon and vermouth in place of brandy/cognac?
How much of each and for how long?  I'm still looking for a recipe to follow.  Somebody w/ experience want to make up one?
I'm not the best at vague directions.  I'm more of a mise en place / follow-the-instructions kind of guy.

[beerocd]

I balk at buying meat that exceeds $2 a lb.

So it's white meat and the other white meat for you then. But red peppers were 3.59/lb here last week. So vegetarian isn't necessarily cheaper.

[nicneufeld]

Sometimes I get ground beef for 1.88 a lb!  I'm not a huge ground beef fan but it made a very tasty keema stuffing for samosas.  But generally speaking you're right, I eat a lot of chicken and some pork, and I have a large store of smoked corned beef in the freezer that was cheap at the time too.  Pepper prices shot up last week I noticed too.  Passed on them!   

[capozzoli]

I just got back from the produce place. Capsicums were $3.99 per lb. WTF. Time to grow a garden!

I was going to make Sicilian tripe in tomato gravy with fried peppers.  Guess Im gonna have to settle for Neapolitan style with peas.