Main Course

Beef Filet En Croute with Green Beans and Walnuts
(based on recipe from Cooking.com)
This was possibly the most difficult recipe we ever tried, and it definitely helped to have two people making it. The original recipe called for 3 onions, and even having doubled the recipe, we only used 3 onions total (a lot of slicing onions gone to waste). Also, the goat cheese/caramelized onion combination was delicious, especially on crackers, but we're not sure it added anything to the flavor of the meat. We also learned the Filet Mignon is was more expensive than we ever knew, and that 6 o is really too much for any one person to consume. Next time, get smaller steaks! The walnuts in the green beans were pretty, but didn't add much flavor, and were a little difficult to eat with forks.

Ingredients

• 1 bottle Cabernet Sauvignon
• 4 Filet Mignons, about 6 ounces each, completely trimmed, 1 1/4 inches thick, choice grade
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 1/2 large Yellow Onions, sliced
• 3 tbsp Beef Stock
• 1 tsp Thyme
• 6 oz Goat Cheese
• 1 sheet Puff Pastry, 9 inches square, thawed
• 2 Eggs, beaten
• 1 lb fresh Green Beans
• 1 Lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 1/2 c Walnuts, toasted and chopped

Instructions:

1. Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a nonstick pan set over medium heat and sear the filets on all sides, about 1 minute per side, or until browned. Remove the filets and any juices they have released and set aside.
2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and saute the onions for about 5 minutes or until light golden brown. Turn down the heat to medium-low, add the beef stock and any reserved beef juices, and continue to cook until the onions have cooked all the way through and are moist but not wet, about 5 -10 minutes longer. Stir in the thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a mixing bowl and let the onions cool completely. Add the goat cheese to the onions and mix gently with a fork to incorporate.
3. Roll out the puff pastry until it measures 14 inches square and then cut into four 7-inch squares (the squares should be large enough to fold around the fillets). Brush the edges of the puff pastry with the beaten egg and place 3 tablespoons of the onion-goat cheese mixture in the center of each square, spreading it out with the back of a spoon. Place the beef filets on top of the mixture and spoon the remaining onion mixture on top of the filets and around the sides. To finish, bring up the 4 corners, and tightly enclose the puff pastry by closing the sides over and using more beaten egg to seal. (Don't worry too much about how this looks as the joined edges will be on the bottom of the puff pastry package when serving.) Turn over the puff pastry and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Let rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes or overnight.
4. Pour the wine into a small heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until 1/2 cup remains and the consistency is syrupy.
5. Start boiling a pot of water for the green beans.
6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. When ready to bake, remove the packages from the refrigerator and brush the surface with the beaten egg. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes for medium-rare, 25 minutes for medium, or until the pastry is golden brown. (If the pastry gets browned too quickly, cover with foil and continue to bake.)
7. As soon as you put the steaks in the oven, blanch the green beans in a saucepan of salted boiling water to cover for about 5 minutes, until they turn bright green and are just tender; they should still have a bite to them. Drain the beans in a colander. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, add the blanched beans, and sauté for about 3 minutes, taking care not to overcook them. Add the lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Taste, and add more lemon juice if desired. Toss the walnuts with the green beans.

Serving

1. Drizzle the wine reduction sauce in pretty spirals on the plates. Place the pastry-covered steaks halfway on top of the sauce. Using tongs, arrange the green beans next to the pastry. Drizzle any remaining butter from the pan over the green beans.

Serves 4