Coffee Rubbed Filet Mignon with Ancho Mushroom Sauce, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts

It really was as good, or even better then it looks!

Tonight's meal is all Daryl!  He asked me what I wanted and my response was something like, "Meat sounds good, clean, not a lot of cheese, cream etc..." and what he came up with was Coffee Rubbed Filet Mignon with Ancho Mushroom Sauce, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts.  Did I marry a good man or what?!  I also thought another Cesar Salad sounded good so, you guessed it - we're having one!   We are huge fans of Bobby Flay and we chose his recipes a lot.  I have said before that his recipes can be pretty time consuming, but there are days when that can be fun, and this was one of those days.  Daryl enjoys the steps that he has in his recipes, it makes it interesting for him, and a it is a challenge.  I am grateful to Bobby because of him I get to eat awesome food!

SMOKED RED PEPPER SAUCE

Yields: 2 ½ cups

4 roasted red bell peppers, chopped
½ small red onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves roasted garlic, peeled
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chipotle puree
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup canola oil

Combine peppers, onion, garlic, vinegar, honey, mustard, chipotle and salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and blend until emulsified. Strain sauce into a bowl.

COFFEE RUBBED FILET MIGNON WITH ANCHO MUSHROOM SAUCE

Coffee Rub Filet
¼ cup ancho chile powder
¼ cup finely ground espresso
2 tablespoons Spanish paprika
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons chile de arbol powder
4 filet mignon, 12 ounces each
2 tablespoons canola oil

1. Combine all spices in a bowl.
2. Season one side of each filet with a heaping tablespoon of the rub. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat until smoking. Place the filet in the pan, rub-side down and cook until a crust has formed, 2 minutes. Turn the steak over, reduce heat to medium and continue cooking to medium-rare doneness, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from the pan and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Slicing the mushrooms.  It may seem like a lot, but they cook down significantly!

Ancho Chile-Wild Mushroom Sauce
4 cups homemade chicken stock
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ pounds assorted wild mushrooms (shiitake, cremini, portotbello, oyster) thinly sliced
4 shallots, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¼ cup ancho chile puree*
2 tablespoons honey
Salt and freshly ground pepper
¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves

The mushroom sauce cooking.

1. Place chicken stock in a medium saucepan over high heat and cook until reduced to 2 cups.
2. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the mushrooms, shallot and garlic and cook until the mushrooms are golden brown and liquid has evaporated.
3. Whisk the ancho puree into the reduced chicken stock then add to the pan with the mushrooms. Bring to a boil and cook until the sauce is reduced by half, stirring occasionally, approximately 15-20 minutes. Season with honey, salt and pepper then fold in the cilantro or parsley. Ladle sauce onto plates and top with steak and drizzle with smoked red pepper sauce and sprinkle with chopped chives.
* Ancho puree – soak 3 ancho chiles in boiling water for 30 minutes. Remove the chiles from the soaking liquid, remove stems and seeds and puree in a blender with some of the soaking liquid until smooth. 

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts

10 - 15 fingerling potatoes, halved

8-10 Brussel sprouts, trimmed

1 T. duck fat (or your choice of fat: butter, olive oil...)

1 T. of Italian parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper

Par boil the sprouts, dry and split in half.  Toss potatoes and sprouts in duck fat and salt and pepper and spread out onto jelly roll pan in a 425° oven.  Roast until tender, 30 - 40 minutes.  Take out and toss with parsley and serve.