In O. Henry's stories of striving in turn-of-the-century New York, known collectively as The Four Million, filet mignon has a recurring role as a symbol of love and momentary luxury.
The diminutive tail end of the tenderloin is the rare celebration meal for two starving artists, each secretly working in a laundry so the other can pursue a dream. In another story, a young lady who subsists mostly on weak Irish stew sheds a tear over her filet as she dines alone, fearing the well-to-do suitor who bought it is about to be proved disreputable.
Bigger, fattier steaks may be all the rage these days, but on Valentine's Day, this tender cut is still synonymous with romance. The "mignon" in its name refers to a "dainty" filet, but mignon also can be translated as "darling."
Like many a kept darling, the filet mignon preserves its supple character with a life of leisure. It comes from the least-worked part of the cow; so tender that when cooked properly, the meat can almost be cut with a fork.
"People's love and fascination with it is, it is so tender," says Jon Hanley, executive chef at Morton's the Steakhouse in Baltimore. Because it is compact, "it's easy to eat."
Another advantage is that as steak goes, the filet is relatively low in fat. A 3-ounce broiled serving of filet mignon has about 185 calories and 4 grams of saturated fat, compared with 250 calories and 7 grams of fat in the same portion of porterhouse. If you're ordering meat when eating out, the American Heart Association's Web site recommends choosing filet mignon (or flank steak, sirloin tip or tenderloin) over fattier cuts.
The filet is a fixture at fancy places like the Milton Inn or Tersiguel's, and you'll also find it on menus at more casual spots, such as Hull Street Blues in Locust Point and Sean Bolan's in Bel Air. (Filet mignon with bearnaise sauce and fresh asparagus is part of the "classic combination" dinner being offered at Morton's in Baltimore and Annapolis through March 21.)
But filet mignon is surprisingly easy to prepare at home.
While the filet has tenderness in spades, it can be lacking in flavor. Chefs Julia Child and James Beard solved the problem by wrapping theirs with bacon. Another solution is to enliven the supple meat with a flavored butter, a rich sauce or a zesty crust of cheese or horseradish.
But even chefs adept at piling on sauces and other flourishes say the best way to cook a piece of meat this wonderful is as simply as possible. "Salt and pepper is great in my book," said Jon Thompson, chef de cuisine at Jordan's Steakhouse in Ellicott City. "Don't ruin it by going crazy."
Because filet mignon can run from nearly $20 to more than $30 a pound, you'll want to begin by choosing yours carefully. Look for as much marbling as you can get - the white streaks of fat that permeate the cut and will deliver flavor to the center. Hanley recommends seeking out a 2-inch thick filet, which he thinks provides more insurance against overcooking. Look for bright-red color.
Chefs often recommend that you search for prime filet mignon rather than choice, but be prepared to pay dearly for it. We found choice, 1-inch-thick filet mignons at Graul's Market in Ruxton for $17.99 a pound, and prime, 2-inch-thick filets for $32.99 a pound at Eddie's of Roland Park. (While the prime filets were certainly more succulent, the choice filets, simply prepared, still made for a fine feast.)
Filet mignon can be broiled, grilled or pan-seared. Thompson grills his filets quickly first to develop a nice crust and grill marks, then finishes them in the oven.
Most chefs recommend cooking filet mignon to medium-rare, so that its center retains a rosy color and plenty of juices. You can check the temperature with a meat thermometer - for medium-rare, it should read about 130 to 135 degrees before the filet rests - but chefs, loath to poke holes in their beautiful steaks, tend to prefer a touch test.
Hanley recommends pressing the steak and then the skin of your palm under the pinkie; if they have a similar degree of firmness, your filet is probably ready to come off the heat. (Thompson pokes the skin at the juncture of thumb and forefinger after he's made a fist.) Make sure your filets get about 10 minutes of rest on a warm platter before they're served.
If you do end up overcooking your steak, the best way to rescue it is with an herbed butter - sort of a "poor person's bearnaise," said Hanley. (Just mix softened butter with fresh chopped herbs, lemon juice and a bit of garlic, if you like.) Or "if you thought ahead about sauteeing mushrooms - take that little bit of juice collected in the pan and pour it over the steak." But the best defense against an overcooked filet, he said, is practice.
At home, Thompson keeps a compote of shallots - cooked in red wine, then finished with balsamic vinegar - for serving with steak or steak sandwiches. We created a recipe from his instructions and loved the results. Not only are the shallots a natural, subtle partner for the beef, but the compote can be made ahead of time, and it's a great way to use up leftover shallots.
One of our favorite preparations for the dainty filet was an Italian technique Hanley described. After you grill or broil filet mignon, sprinkle it with sea salt. Shave several large pieces of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the top of the steak with a vegetable peeler, give it a squeeze of lemon juice and drizzle with white truffle oil.
"If you want to talk decadent," the chef said, "that's love."
kate.shatzkin@baltsun.com
Cooking tips
Here are tips for how to cook a great filet mignon:
Choose the best piece of meat.
Look for the thickest, most marbled cut you can afford.
Watch it carefully.
Whether you're grilling, broiling or searing your filet, it doesn't take long to cook.
Use the touch test.
Medium-rare filet (the temperature many chefs recommend) has roughly the same firmness as the palm skin below your pinkie when you press it.
Let it rest.
Cooked filets should sit about 10 minutes before serving.
Butter to the rescue.
If your steak is overcooked - or even if it isn't - you can't go wrong by adding moisture and flavor with a pat of herbed butter.
[Kate Shatzkin]
Beurre de Fines Herbes (Mixed Herb Butter)
Makes 1/2 cup
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley or mixed green herbs or tarragon (or dried tarragon and fresh parsley)
salt and pepper
Cream the butter. Drop by drop, beat in the lemon juice. Then beat in the herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with warm steak or fish.
Adapted from "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck
Per tablespoon: 101 calories, 0 grams protein, 11 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat, 0 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fiber, 30 milligrams cholesterol, 2 milligrams sodium
A Perfectly Broiled Filet
-- Serves 2
2 filet mignons, 4 ounces each, 1 to 2 inches thick
3/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
salt to taste
Bring filets to room temperature. Preheat the broiler.
Just before cooking, sprinkle the filets well on both sides with the pepper. Place the filets 3 inches from the heat and broil for 4 minutes. Turn and cook another 4 minutes to medium-rare. (Press the center of meat. It should have the same amount of give as the skin of your palm below your pinkie.)
Remove filets from heat, place on a warm platter and tent with foil. Let rest about 5 to 7 minutes. Salt to taste and serve, either alone or with herbed butter or Shallot Compote.
Adapted from "The New Basics Cookbook," by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins
Per serving: 249 calories, 31 grams protein, 12 grams fat, 5 grams saturated fat, 1 gram carbohydrate, 0 grams fiber, 95 milligrams cholesterol, 64 milligrams sodium
Blue-Cheese Filet Mignon
-- Serves 4
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely cracked black pepper
1 large minced garlic clove
four 1-inch-thick filet mignon steaks, 4 to 6 ounces each
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
chopped fresh parsley for garnish
On a sheet of waxed paper or a plate, combine pepper and garlic. Lightly press steaks into the mixture to lightly coat. Heat a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add steaks and cook to desired temperature on a meat thermometer, about 10 to 13 minutes, turning occasionally. (Meat will feel about as firm as the skin of your palm under the pinkie for medium-rare; a bit firmer for medium.)
Transfer steaks to a warm platter and tent with foil. Pour broth and wine into the skillet. Increase heat and cook until liquid is reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to incorporate bits of meat from the pan. Remove foil and spoon sauce over steaks. Top each with blue cheese and sprinkle with parsley.
Adapted from "Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks" by David Joachim
Per serving: 314 calories, 35 grams protein, 17 grams fat, 9 grams saturated fat, 1 gram carbohydrate, 0 grams fiber, 107 milligrams cholesterol, 398 milligrams sodium
Shallot Compote
-- Makes about 1/3 cup
4 shallots
1/2 cup red wine, plus more if needed to cover shallots
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Thinly slice shallots and place in a small saucepan. Add wine, making sure shallots are covered. Cook over medium heat until wine has almost evaporated. Stir in balsamic vinegar and cook several more minutes, until liquid has evaporated and shallots are wilted. Serve with steak or on sandwiches.
Notes: Use a wine that you'd be happy to drink. This recipe can be made in advance and is easily doubled.
Recipe developed from the instructions of Jon Thompson, chef de cuisine at Jordan's Steakhouse in Ellicott City
Per tablespoon: 14 calories, trace protein, 0 grams fat, 0 grams saturated fat, 3 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fiber, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 3 milligrams sodium