Filet Mignon with Truffled Mushroom Risotto and Roasted Broccolini

This dinner is for a special occasion. It’s meant to be paired with a beautifully aged red wine, such as a Cabernet Sauvignon or a blend that includes it (Seattle locals, check out Eagle Harbor Wine Co.’s Quanta blend). This meal deserves a strong yet balanced wine that can stand up to the earthy mushrooms and meld with the tender, flavorful Filet. Broccolini brings color to the plate along with a touch of elegance from the curve of its stems around the risotto. When the occasion deserves the best, serve the best with this delicious dinner.

• Filet Mignon (preferably organic and grass fed)

• Red cooking wine (for Filet marinade)

• Dry white wine (for risotto)

• White onion

• Garlic

• Olive oil

• Butter

• Dried thyme

• Salt and Pepper

• Crimini mushrooms

• White truffle oil

• Arborio rice

• Parmesan

• Broccolini

• Chicken stock

* Makes 4 servings of risotto and broccolini. Cook as many Filet portions as desired (you may need two sheet pans for the filets and broccolini if you cook four or more filets)

1. Combine 1 cup of red wine, ½ cup diced onion, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 clove minced garlic in a shallow pan or bowl that you will marinate your steak in. Generously season your steak with salt, pepper and thyme. Marinate for 1 hour, flipping steak halfway through.

2. Risotto: While steak is marinating, start to make your risotto. Slice 10 large crimini mushrooms, dice 1 cup of onion and mince 3 cloves of garlic. Warm 4 cups of chicken stock in a pot over low heat. Turn a large sauté pan or wok to medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of butter, and the mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Saute for 8-10 minutes, until onions are translucent and the mushrooms have released and reabsorbed nearly all of the juices they released while cooking. Add 1 ½ cups of arborio rice and swirl to coat. Let rice heat for 1 minute, then add 1 ½ cups dry white wine. Once the rice has absorbed the wine, add 1 cup of broth. Continue adding broth ½ cup at a time, allowing the rice to absorb almost all of the broth before adding more. Rice will cook in 20-25 minutes, it should be soft and slightly sticky but not mushy. When rice is cooked, add 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon white truffle oil, and a few sprinkles of salt and pepper each. Swirl to combine.

3. Filets and Broccolini: While rice is cooking, preheat oven to 415 degrees F. Turn a saucepan to medium-high heat and add 3 tablespoons of butter. Add filets to the pan and sear each side for 3 minutes. While the filet is searing, cut the ends off one bunch of broccolini and toss with olive oil and salt and pepper on a sheet pan. Space evenly so broccolini are not overlapping, and leave space on one end of the sheet pan for the filets. After searing each side of the filets, place on the sheet pan and roast with the broccoli for 15 minutes. Check the doneness of your filets at 10 minutes (more rare) or cook for the full 15 for more medium-well steaks. Remove from oven at near desired level of doneness and cover the filets with tin foil to finish cooking. Broccolini should be tender with the florets starting to crisp.

4. Plate one filet, 1 cup of risotto and 3-5 broccolini together. Serve with red wine.