This is what happens when you give me a kitchen all to myself during a period of burst creativity. I’m pretty sure this entrée I came up with as a Special for the Backstage Restaurant. It was successful enough that it was on the Special List quite often. The Pate is a bit of an extravagance, as are all the Garnishes for that matter. The Filet and sauce stand up on their own.
Cut an 8 oz. Filet from a Center Cut area of a Beef Tenderloin, and Butterfly it.
Prep all of the vegetables and herbs, and set aside in individual piles.
Prepare the Garlic Compound Butter 01, Beef Stock 01, Melba Toast 01, Turned Mushroom 01, and Rabbit Liver Country Pate 01 – optional. You could also make your own Mango Chutney, or any other complimentary Chutney, but with all the other add-on recipes that surround this recipe, just using store bought is fine.
Prepare the rest of the garnishes.
Cook the Filet…
Season the Butterflied Filet on both sides with Sea Salt and Black Pepper.
Cook the Filet on both sides in a hot pan with a little Olive Oil on high to just short of the desired doneness.
Remove the Filet from the pan and set aside.
Make the Sauce…
To the pan: Add the Compound Garlic Butter, the Shallots, Garlic and Green Peppercorns all at once. Sauté.
Flambé and deglaze the pan with Cognac.
Add the Beef Stock and reduce.
Add the remaining Salt and Pepper, Bitters and Cream. Cook and reduce.
Add the Filet back to the pan along with the Turned Mushroom and Minced Parsley, simmer for about a minute at most and remove from heat.
To Serve…
Arrange the 4 Melba Toasts in a row down the center of a plate. Add a half slice of the Pate on one side of the plate. On the opposite side of the plate, make a small pile of Chutney, the Minced Radishes, and the Lemon Wedge.
Place the Filet on the Melba Toasts, and pour the pan sauce over it.
Top with the Turned Mushroom and the Parsley Sprig.