Blue Cheese Stuffed Filets with Cherry Red Wine Sauce

When I went to the audition for the Food Network last weekend, I found myself waiting in a corner surrounded by raw food chefs. They all went on and on about energy cooking, Whole Foods vegan presentations and what they would do if they made it on the show and they had a challenge where they had to use meat.

I’m pretty sure I saw one of them flinch when I confessed that I eat red meat.

But you know what, I’m nothing if not myself. And I love meat. Nothing could keep me away from a perfectly prepared filet. Not all the energy in the world. I’m all about health and clean eating, but I’m also about everything in moderation and everything includes steaks like these.

You will need…

4 filets of beef tenderloin, about 6 ounces each

8 ounces blue cheese, sliced

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large shallot, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 ounces dried cherries, roughly chopped

4 sprigs thyme

8 ounces dried cherries, roughly chopped

4 tablespoons demi-glace

2 ounces cold water

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F. 

Make a large slit in each filet and stuff the hole with 2 ounces of cheese. Brush the steaks with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and heat the 3rd tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. 

When the oil in the skillet is hot, add in the steaks and sear until there is a nice crust. About 2 minutes. Flip and sear the other side. 

Remove the steak from the pan and place it on a rack over a pan or rimmed baking sheet. Finish in the oven till the steak is 140 - 150 degrees F more rare to medium rare. 

When the steak is cooked to your liking, remove from the oven and cover with aluminum foil to rest for 7 to 10 minutes. 

While the steak is finishing, add the shallots and garlic to the pan. Cook the onions down until they are softened. 

Add in the cherries and thyme and stir to combine. 

Deglaze the pan with the wine and continue to slowly simmer the liquid until it reduces slightly. 

Whisk together the water and cornstarch and stir it into the sauce to thicken it. 

When the sauce has thickened, turn off the heat and whisk in the butter and demi-glace.  

Drizzle the sauce over the filets and serve hot. 

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Blue Cheese Stuffed Filets with Cherry Red Wine Sauce

4 filets of beef tenderloin, about 6 ounces each

8 ounces blue cheese, sliced

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large shallot, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 ounces dried cherries, roughly chopped

4 sprigs thyme

8 ounces dried cherries, roughly chopped

4 tablespoons demi-glace

2 ounces cold water

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F. 

Make a large slit in each filet and stuff the hole with 2 ounces of cheese. Brush the steaks with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and heat the 3rd tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. 

When the oil in the skillet is hot, add in the steaks and sear until there is a nice crust. About 2 minutes. Flip and sear the other side. 

Remove the steak from the pan and place it on a rack over a pan or rimmed baking sheet. Finish in the oven till the steak is 140 - 150 degrees F more rare to medium rare. 

When the steak is cooked to your liking, remove from the oven and cover with aluminum foil to rest for 7 to 10 minutes. 

While the steak is finishing, add the shallots and garlic to the pan. Cook the onions down until they are softened. 

Add in the cherries and thyme and stir to combine. 

Deglaze the pan with the wine and continue to slowly simmer the liquid until it reduces slightly. 

Whisk together the water and cornstarch and stir it into the sauce to thicken it. 

When the sauce has thickened, turn off the heat and whisk in the butter and demi-glace.  

Drizzle the sauce over the filets and serve hot.