Filet Mignon with Horseradish Cream
This is a popular appetizer that I enjoy making for get-togethers. It is a classic and one that few dressy parties should be without. The meat can be grilled outdoors if it's a summer party, then sliced and served on the toasts right there. Guests love to smell it cooking!
This is a popular appetizer that I enjoy making for get-togethers. It is a classic and one that few dressy parties should be without. The meat can be grilled outdoors if it's a summer party, then sliced and served on the toasts right there. Guests love to smell it cooking!
- Carbohydrate 0.516254167239307 g
- Cholesterol 41.158870525 mg
- Fat 12.8582488823683 g
- Fiber 0.0935416656419532 g
- Protein 11.3015267196849 g
- Saturated Fat 5.1394030770754 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (68g)
- Sodium 41.9903564742597 mg
- Sugar 0.422712501597354 g
- Trans Fat 1.54282237353998 g
- Calories 165 calories
Step-by-step
- To make the horseradish cream: In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and horseradish and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cover and refrigerate the mixture until ready to use (up to 1/2 hour).
- Preheat a broiler and adjust the rack so it is about 4 inches from the heating element.
- Brush both sides of the bread slices with oil and broil, turning once, until they are golden.
- Keep the broiler on.
- Season the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper to taste, then broil them until medium-rare, 4 to 6 minutes per side.
- Remove the steaks and let them stand for at least 5 minutes or up to 1/2 hour before slicing.
- To serve, slice the meat across the grain into 24 thin slices about the length of the bread pieces.
- Spread 1 side of each baguette slice thickly with the horseradish cream.
- Pinch the leaves off the watercress sprigs, place a few leaves on each slice, then top with slices of filet mignon.
The ingredient list leaves out the crucial behavior of bread under high heat, failing to warn that a four-inch distance from the broiler element will scorch a baguette slice in under sixty seconds. Success depends on watching the rack position carefully while brushing the crumb with enough oil to insulate it against rapid drying. Filet mignon demands similar vigilance. Slicing the beef while warm guarantees stringy resistance instead of clean bites, so enforce a mandatory five-minute rest before cutting across the grain.
Managing Dairy and Bread Alternatives
Adapting this dish for dairy-free diets requires substituting the sour cream with a thick, unsweetened coconut yogurt at a strict one-to-one ratio. Standard almond milks are too watery and will instantly liquefy the prepared horseradish. When replacing the wheat baguette for gluten-free guests, choose a denser artisan loaf because commercial gluten-free breads shatter into crumbs when cut to a quarter-inch thickness.
- Refrigerate the horseradish cream for no longer than thirty minutes to prevent the watercress from wilting if stored prematurely.
- Slice leftover beef razor-thin and store it in an airtight container with pan juices for up to twenty-four hours to maintain tenderness.
