Filet Mignons on a Potato Cake
Submitted by valerieiscanadian
Seared filet mignon steaks served on a crispy layered potato cake with a brandy, mushroom, sour cream, and green olive sauce. A French-inspired steakhouse dinner at home.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
45 minREADY
Seared filet mignon perched on a golden, buttery layered potato cake with a brandy-mushroom cream sauce spooned over the top. This is a restaurant-caliber plate that you can pull off at home with careful timing.
The potato cake starts on the stovetop: thin slices layered in a buttered skillet, cooked covered for 20 minutes until the bottom turns golden and crisp, then finished in the oven for another 20 minutes. The result is a firm, sliceable cake with crispy edges and tender, buttery layers inside.
While the potatoes bake, the steaks get a brandy soak, and the sauce comes together. Quartered mushrooms cook with thyme in butter, then beef stock reduces by a third before sour cream and halved green olives fold in. The olives are an unexpected touch, adding a briny sharpness that cuts through the rich cream and beef.
The steaks sear hard over high heat, three to four minutes per side for medium-rare, then the reserved brandy deglazes the pan and joins the mushroom sauce.
Chef Tips
- Slice the potatoes ⅛ inch thin and pat them completely dry. Wet potatoes steam instead of crisping in the butter.
- Don’t skip the brandy soak for the steaks. Even 20 minutes adds a warm, boozy depth that plain salt and pepper can’t match.
- Sear the steaks in a ripping-hot skillet. High heat for a short time gives you a dark crust while keeping the center pink.
- Heat the sauce through gently after adding the sour cream. Boiling will cause it to break and turn grainy.
Variations
- Blue cheese finish: Skip the sour cream and crumble blue cheese over the steaks while resting for a classic steakhouse touch.
- Cognac upgrade: Use cognac instead of brandy for a smoother, more refined sauce.
- Herb potato cake: Layer fresh rosemary and thyme leaves between the potato slices for an aromatic crust.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375℉ (190℃).
Peel the potatoes and cut them into slices about ⅛ inches thick.
As the potatoes are sliced, drop them into a bowl of cold water to prevent them discoloring.
Spread about 1 teaspoon of the butter over the bottom of a large heavy skillet.
Drain the potato slices and pat dry.
Layer them in the skillet, spinkling the layers with small pieces of butter (using all but 2 tbsp).
Cover the skillet closely and cook on top of the stove over moderate heat about 20 min.
Uncover and tranfer to oven.
Bake 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, sprinkle the steaks with the brandy.
Set aside.
Heat the remaining butter in a saucepan, add the mushrooms and thyme and cook until wilted.
Add the broth and cook until reduced by ⅓.
Add thge sour cream and olives.
Remove from heat and set aside.
Drain the brandy from the steaks and reserve.
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and add the steaks.
Cook over high heat about 3 to 4 min. on each side (or longer if you prefer your steaks medium to medium-well).
Remove and keep hot.
Add the brandy to the skillet and cook, stirring to dissolve the brown particles.
Stir in the sour cream sauce and heat through without boiling.
Turn the potato cake onto a warmed serving dish.
Arrange the steaks on top and spoon a little sauce over them.
Serve the remaining sauce separately.
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