Filet Mignon with Fresh Coriander Garlic Glaze And Crunchy Sweet Potato Chunks

MARCH 14th SPECIAL:  STEAK AND .... POTATO DAY

Fillet Mignon Marinade/Glaze:

• 1 heaped tsp ginger paste
• 2 heaped tsp coriander paste
• 1 tbsp white sugar (infused with vanilla bean, you would be surprised how nicely a subtle hint of vanilla works with savoury dishes)
• 1 good squirt sriracha hot sauce, more or less depending on how spicy you like it!
• 2 tbsp tempura soy sauce (could use regular, but as i’ve mentioned, I prefer the sweeter more mellow taste of kikkoman’s tempura sauce)
• 2 big Quebec garlic cloves, pressed
• Splash of the white wine I’m drinking with dinner (I’m not into red wine! I’m sure you expected red, but not today, today i’m enjoying some Brumont, a  sauvignon and gros manseng blend, recommended by Jeremy Banks (astute wine technician) years ago, I fine addition to my white wine short list!)

Other:

• 1 Large sweet potato
• 1 pinch of Chinese 5 spice powder ( ground cinnamon, anise seed, cloves, ginger, and fennel)
• Glug of oil (enough to coat potatoes)

Directions:

Turn oven on, 350 or so should do.

I Didn’t have long to marinate the steak, only about an hour and change, so to make the marinade effective I rubbed the fillet with some vinegar first to open the pores up (use whatever you have on hand, I used some rice vinegar because its all i had), you don’t need to bath the meat, just put a little bit and work it into the meat, show your meat some love, massage it.

Start on the Potatoes by soaking them in some water to pull some starch out and make then crunchier on the outside when they cook. Dry Thoroughly, cut into medium chunks, toss with some oil and five spice blend in a large bowl. I deep fried the potato first for a few minutes to help crunchify the exterior, and then threw them in a warm oven @ 350.

Once you’ve massaged a little vinegar into the meat, now you can put the marinade together and put your meat in. Move the meat around every fifteen minutes so it gets properly drowned. 

Turn up that grill and pat the steak dry quickly with some paper towel, reserve the marinade to baste the meat while its searing on the grill. 



Once the outside is looking picture perfect to you it’s time to throw it in the oven to finish off the middle of the steak, which is completely raw.


Put the steak in the oven to finish on the tray with the potatoes, and let cook for 5-10 minutes before turning up the heat from 350 to BROIL. Keep a close eye on the potatoes so they don't over brown (chef term for BURNT), keep moving them around on the tray, try one and when they 
are crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside, take them out and place on some paper towel to absorb any excess oil, toss with some salt and pepper lightly. Just as you basted the meat on the grill, do the same while its broiling in the oven. **If you have enough marinade left over  bring it to a boil & reduce it in a pan until it coats the back of a spoon, drizzle over meat after plated if you're a star**

If you have a thermometer use it! Medium Rare is internal temp. 145 F and medium is 160 F. Otherwise, feel the steak, medium rare (my preference) feels like the thumb muscle when touching your thumb to your index finger, medium will feel like thumb to middle finger, then take steak out and let it rest for 5-8 minutes (depending on thickness). DO NOT CUT INTO IT RIGHT AWAY!! EVER...All the juices will run out and leave you high and DRY. The resting time allows the delicious meat juices to redistribute all over the steak, and any excess juices that run onto your cutting board are ‘WHY YOU DO THIS’, pour these juices over the meat after cutting it, and serve your glistening meat with PRIDE!!

click pictures to enlarge