filet mignon Archives - Taste With The Eyes

Filet Mignon Stew with Spätzle

Quick, refined, and full of taste, this filet mignon dish proves that a luxurious meal doesn’t have to take hours to prepare. Jacques Pépin’s concept of a “quick stew”—his Instant Beef Tenderloin Stew—redefines what a rich, satisfying dish can be. The tender beef cooks in minutes yet delivers remarkable depth, showing that speed and finesse can coexist.

I’ve paired it with a simplified version of Wolfgang Puck’s Spätzle, sautéed in butter with a touch of parsley to complement the sauce beautifully. The result brings together two powerhouse chefs in one memorable dinner—balanced, flavorful, and a clear winner at our dinner party.

Filet Mignon Stew with Spätzle

What makes this dish so special is how each component is prepared separately to bring out its best qualities. The filet is seared just long enough to develop a rich crust while staying tender inside, the vegetables are cooked to maintain their color and texture, and the spätzle is sautéed in butter to carry the sauce without overpowering it.

By bringing everything together in a glossy, flavorful red wine–beef sauce, the dish achieves a perfect balance of richness, freshness, and finesse—all without simmering for hours.

Filet Mignon Stew with Spätzle

Filet Mignon Stew with Spätzle Recipe

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Filet Mignon and Shaved Brussels Sprouts

Craving a simple low-carb meat and veg dinner? Here you go.

3/4 lb. slice of beef tenderloin (filet mignon for 2)
high-heat canola oil
brussels sprouts
olive oil
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
balsamic reduction

Beef Tenderloin

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Filet Mignon à la Nancy Silverton

Filet Mignon, Horseradish-Olive Tapenade
Cannellini Beans, Wilted Spinach & Arugula, Arugula Flowers

Welcome back to the Borage & Basil Bistro, this summer’s virtual restaurant where all the menu items feature fresh snipped herbs, exotic ripe fruits, and/or edible flowers from our garden.

Tonight’s dinner special is inspired by Chef Nancy Silverton, adapted from a recipe she shares in A Twist of The Wrist, a terrific book of quick flavorful meals. It’s a version of a meat lover’s entree that had been popular for years at Campanile – a truly seminal restaurant – one that influenced the LA dining scene with its farmers market-driven fare spanning over two decades…

The beauty of this dish is that it marries the flavors in one pan – our filet mignon is seared – then the beans are heated in the beef juices, greens added at the end to wilt. Silverton’s suggestion of jarred black olive tapenade paired perfectly with the filet, but here at Borage & Basil, we swirl in some prepared horseradish, which gives the dish an extra kick. Our arugula is flowering, so to finish the plate, the attractive tasty arugula blossoms are scattered about. Arugula flowers taste much like the leaves, but with a delicate crepe paper-like texture.

Borage & Basil’s centerpieces come from the garden as well. Tonight the tables are adorned with a casual bouquet of roses, fennel flowers, yarrow, and Mexican heather.

Beef Filet, Horseradish-Olive Tapenade Recipe

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A Heavenly Dinner Featuring Truffle Carpaccio

First Course:
Cucumber & Truffle Carpaccio with Bucheron
Olive Oil, Verjus, Fleur de Sel, Chives

Second Course:
Filet Mignon Wrapped in Speck
Duxelles with Truffle, Potato Cake, Creme Fraiche, Truffle Carpaccio
Painted Bordelaise Reduction

Jupiter aligned with Mars. Our Creative Cooking Crew challenge for the month of February was to put an imaginative spin on “meat & potatoes.” A gift of Truffle Carpaccio arrived in the mail. My dear friend and savvy cook, FA, was coming to town. Meat. Potatoes. Truffles. Sounds like a party. Dinner party.

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Lincoln Dinner at Delmonico’s, February 12, 1900

Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon
Red Wine Mushroom Sauce
Spinach in Puff Pastry

Served on an authentic reproduction of the Lincoln Presidential dinner service plates.

Abraham Lincoln Presidential China

The Lincoln China was the Kennedys preferred pattern for dining in the White House.

Mary Todd Lincoln was renowned for her enjoyment of shopping, thus she selected the Lincoln White House china shortly after her husband’s inauguration. An elegant French design, the Lincoln china combines the American eagle with various decorations in a brilliant color called “solferino”. This purple-red hue was invented by the French in 1859 and was very popular among the fashionable hosts of the Lincolns’ day. Authentic reproductions can be purchased at the JFK Museum Store here.

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