Taste Buds: Feta Cheese Crusted Filet Mignon with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes & Braised Mustard Greens

I am planning on staying at home February 14th this year for a couple of reasons. One I am getting to old to deal with the drama and hectic feeling of being out on a holiday. Two Mr. Rogue is working so many hours I would rather be home and have his complete and undivided attention. Three, it gave me the perfect excuse to create something fabulous for dinner. SO with that in mind I have spent the past couple of days cooking, tweaking, eating, cooking and tweaking again the same meal until I got what I felt was a perfect Valentine’s day meal; something that I could cook at home that would taste AMAZING and something that would not take all day to cook.

The timing in this takes a bit of focus so everything comes out perfectly. First put the sun dried tomatoes in super hot water so they are covered, then get the potatoes in the oven at 450 degrees, then prep the steak with its seasonings, then get the mustard greens ready. To prep the steak I decided to put the spices and the oil directly on the steak that way oils would not be skating across the pan and I found it creates less smoke once you put it in the oven. 20 minutes before the potatoes are finished is when you start to heat an oven safe pan for the steak, I like to heat the pan on medium high heat for 3 minutes. You want the pan super hot so when you put the steak onto the pan it almost immediately starts to sizzle. Once one side of the steak is nicely browned turn the oven down from 450 to 350, flip the steak over to the other side and immediately set the steak pan directly in the oven. The other side will brown inside the oven.

While the steak is cooking, about 8 minutes, heat the oil and begin to cook the onions for the Mustard Greens. Remove the steak pan and the potato pan from the oven. Set potatoes aside covered in tin foil. Transfer the steak to the potato pan and put on the feta cheese topping, turn the oven to broil and put the steak back in the oven for 3 minutes or until the top is browned. Add the chicken broth to the steak frying pan to deglaze all the juices and then pour the deglazed chicken broth into the Mixed Green pan. Add the mustard greens to the onions and cover cooking for 5 min.

Allow the steak to sit for 5 minutes and then plate the greens, potatoes and steak.

RECIPE: MUSTARD GREENS INGREDIENTS ¼ cup thinly sliced onions - 16 1 clove garlic ½ tablespoon olive oil - 60 ½ pound mustard green, wash tear into large pieces - 30 ¼ cup chicken broth - 5 salt and pepper to taste splash of sesame oil DIRECTIONS 1. Sauté onions in olive oil over medium heat until onions are translucent, about 5-10 min. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. 2. Add torn mustard leaves and broth and cook until the mustard greens are barely wilted. Toss with sesame oil and salt/pepper.

RECIPE: ROASTED FINGERLING POTOATO INGREDIENTS 8 fingerling potatoes - 200 2 cloves garlic ½ tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon lemon juice sprinkle thyme sprinkle of dill rock salt and pepper to taste DIRECTIONS 1. Heat oven to 450°. Grease a large shallow baking dish with olive oil or spray with olive oil spray. 2. Scrub potatoes and cut large ones in half. In a large bowl, combine the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, thyme, pepper, and seasoning, if using. 3. Toss potatoes with the garlic and oil mixture. Arrange the coated potatoes in a single layer in the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

RECIPE: FETA CHEESE CRUSTED FILET MIGNON INGREDIENTS 2 (4 oz) filet mignon steaks about 1 inch thick - 470 ½ tablespoon olive oil ½ egg - 45 2 tablespoons feta cheese – 80 3 sundried tomatoes 2 leaves of basil DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 2. Heat oven safe skillet over medium high heat until hot. Rub oil into the steaks and rub the seasonings on the steak. Sear steaks quickly one side until browned. Flip the steak using tongs and put the pan directly in the oven. 3. Bake in the oven for 8 minutes or until desired doneness (make sure you cook them underdone, you will be broiling the steak for 3 minutes later). Remove steaks for the oven. 4. Stir together until well blended egg, feta cheese, finely chopped sundried tomato and basil. Top each steak with a layer of this mixture. 5. Preheat the ovens broiler; place steaks under broiler until the cheese topping has browned and is bubbly. Remove from the oven and serve.

500 calories per person


P.S. I will post the dessert tomorrow.