About a million years ago, I fell in love with a beautiful girl. I wanted to show off my culinary skills, which looking back was more enthusiasm and luck than actual skill. The meal I had planned was seared filet mignon with a mushroom sauce using wine and butter, potato gratin and blanched asparagus. I have no idea what the salad was, but I believe dessert was fresh berries and champagne. Eventually the dessert would become strawberry shortcake, which will be another article.

The steaks I seared on high heat just to give a golden-brown exterior. I pulled the steaks to rest and added shallots and garlic to the pan with a little butter. Sliced mushrooms were added and everything was cooked until just caramelized. My grandfather used to make wine, and he had given me a bottle of plum wine, which if I remember correctly, had the feel of a rose wine. I cooked out the wine then added a little cream and started adding butter. I had no idea what I was doing, but somehow managed to make a mushroom beurre blanc (rose) that was delicious.

A couple of years later I would realize and understand what I had made and why it worked so well. I then added the steaks back to the pan and slowly and patiently spooned the sauce over the steak to bring it to the correct temperature, which of course at that time was a complete guess that ended up being a perfect medium rare.

I remember plating the food and sitting down to enjoy it. She took a bite of the steak with the sauce, and I still remember the look I got. It was a playful smile with eye contact that made me realize I had a real chance at the long game of this relationship. This year will be our 24^th Valentine’s Day, and this spring will be our 22^nd wedding anniversary. I have made a version of this meal every year since; one year I delivered the dish to her at work as our schedules did not align to sit down together.

The history of beurre blanc sauce goes back to the 1890s and is often accredited to chef Clémence Lefeuvre. It is said that she or her assistant forgot to add the egg yolks to a bearnaise sauce, and this new sauce was born. Categorically, this falls under emulsion sauces with mayonnaise and hollandaise. It is not considered one of the French mother sauces, but is widely used in the French cuisine. The use of a red, rose or white wine changes the sauce in fun ways.

Traditionally it is served with seafood, poultry or vegetables, but I assure you it is delicious with just about everything that tastes good with a buttery flavor. Buttery sauces are a large part of why we love classic French cuisine.

Filet mignon with mushroom beurre blanc

• 2 filet mignon steaks
• 1-pound sliced mushrooms, or assorted wild mushrooms
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoon heavy cream
• 8 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
• salt and pepper, as needed
• asparagus, cooked as desired
• potato gratin, or your favorite potato

1. Preheat a heavy bottomed pan to medium/high heat.
2. Dry the steaks with paper towel and season to your tastes.
3. Add a little cooking oil, of your choice.
4. Carefully add the steaks to the pan with the hot oil.
5. Let cook for 4 minutes, or until a deep caramelized crust has formed.
6. Turn the steak and repeat the process.
7. Remove the steak and let rest.
8. Add the mushrooms to the pan, and sauté until caramelized.
9. Add the shallots and garlic, cook for 30 seconds.
10. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half.
11. Add the heavy cream and stir to combine.
12. Start adding the butter one tablespoon at a time, moving the pan in a swirling pattern to incorporate the butter into the sauce to create the emulsion. I find better results happen if you don’t use a whisk.
13. Halfway through adding the butter, start tasting. You don’t want the butter to overwhelm the balance of the sauce, and the type of wine chosen will affect the outcome.
14. Add more butter one tablespoon at a time until the taste is pleasant and balanced.
15. Add salt and pepper to your taste preference.
16. The steak can be finished in a 400-degree oven to your liking, or added back into the sauce and basted over low heat until done to your liking. The oven method is more forgiving, the basting method takes a lot more patience.
17. If the sauce starts to get a little too thick, add a couple drops of water to avoid breaking the sauce.
18. Once the steak is cooked to the appropriate temperature, place it on a plate with the cooked asparagus and your favorite potato. Generously spoon the sauce over the steak and enjoy!

About

Lincoln Land Community College offers credit programs in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management and Baking/Pastry, and non-credit cooking and food classes through LLCC Community Education.

Cooking or food questions? Email epicuriosity101@llcc.edu.