Saturday, November 17, 2007

Filet Mignon with Irish Whiskey Sauce

The filet generally is considered the most tender cut of beef. But while the filet has tenderness and silky smoothness in spades, it lacks a little in the flavor department compared to other cuts of beef such as sirloin or rib eye. That's why it's a great idea to sauce up your filet, and that's where this recipe comes in.
Don't forget to review the exercise tip of the day at end of recipe.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
4 small filet mignons (4 ounce each)
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, diced
1 teaspoon finely diced shallots
1-1/2 cups mushrooms, chopped
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
1 ounce Jameson Irish Whiskey
3/4 cup beef stock
3/4 cup heavy (double) cream
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the filets and sauté until they're done to your preference. Transfer the filets from the pan to a heated platter, and cover them loosely with foil to keep warm.
3. To the skillet, add the garlic, shallots, and mushrooms, and sauté over medium heat until soft. 4. Add honey and wholegrain mustard to the pan and stir.
5. Add the whiskey, and turn up the heat so that the sauce boils for 1 minute as the alcohol evaporates.
6. Turn down the heat and stir in the beef stock. Boil gently until the amount of sauce in the pan is reduced by half.
7. Stir in the cream, and continuing stirring until the sauce thickens.
8. Give the sauce a quick taste, and add salt and pepper as needed.
9. To serve, slice the filets, put them on plates, and pour the sauce over the top.

Now for the exercise tip

This one strengthens the core (abs), upper back, and shoulders
It's called the "V-Twist"
Sit on a mat with your legs in front of your body, knees bent, and toes propped against a couch or wall. Extend your arms straight out in front of your body at chest height, and lean back to form a V with your body. Slowly move arms toward the right side-without rocking-then back to center, then to the left side. Repeat the entire move for 10 reps. Challenge yourself: hold a 5 lb dumbbell with both hands. Increase reps or sets as tolerance improves.

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