Grilled Tenderloin of Beef with Iowa Blue Cheese Potato Gratin, Caramelized Cipollini Onions, and Porcini Mushrooms
This meal sounds fancy and complicated, but it’s really just steak and potatoes with mushrooms and onions—a familiar American meal. The Mediterranean twist comes in the agrodulce flavoring of the onions (that classic Mediterranean combination of sweet and sour), fresh mushrooms, and the addition of blue cheese to the potato gratin. You don’t have to use Iowa’s Maytag blue cheese—you can use any blue cheese you can find near you. Fresh crumbly goat’s milk or sheep’s milk cheese would work, too. You can make the gratin ahead of time and reheat it.
- FOR THE FILETS
- 4 filet mignons, about
- 5 ounces each
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- FOR THE MUSHROOMS
- 1 pound fresh porcini, portobello, or shiitake mushrooms, threaded on skewers
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
- FOR THE ONIONS
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound cipollini or pearl onions, peeled
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- FOR THE GRATIN
- 4 large Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream, milk, or chicken stock
- 1⁄2 cup crumbled Maytag blue cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or chopped chives
Instructions:
This meal sounds fancy and complicated, but it’s really just steak and potatoes with mushrooms and onions—a familiar American meal.
- FOR THE FILETS :Preheat the grill to high or preheat the broiler. Rub the filets with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill to desired doneness, about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. (You will also be grilling or broiling the mushrooms at the same time.)
- FOR THE MUSHROOMS :Brush the mushrooms with the olive oil. Season with the salt and pepper. Grill the mushrooms along with the filet until grillmarked and tender, about 10 minutes. Finish with a sprinkling of lemon juice.
- FOR THE GRATIN: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel and slice the potatoes so that the slices are about 1⁄8 inch thick.
- Place the potato slices in a bowl with the heavy cream, blue cheese, salt, pepper, and thyme. Toss gently to coat well.
- Layer the potatoes in a baking dish or deep cast iron skillet.
- Cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes, then check the tenderness of the potatoes; bake longer if necessary.
- Remove the foil and bake 15 more minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
- FOR THE ONIONS : Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat the olive oil in a heavy ovenproof skillet. Add the onions and cook until caramelized, 4–5 minutes. Add the butter and season with the salt and pepper.
- Place the skillet in the oven and bake until soft, 10–20 minutes, turning the onions occasionally.
- TO ASSEMBLE :Divide the gratin between four plates. Top each gratin with a filet, then garnish with the onions and mushrooms. Serve with a large green salad or wilted greens.