My thoughtful and caring husband made sure I had a fantastic Valentine's Day by surprising me with a new set of stainless steel cookware (along with some beautiful orchids, too)! I've been itching for new cookware for awhile and I finally settled on the set that I wanted before Christmas. For one reason or another, I didn't pull the trigger and purchase it for myself though. I'm actually really glad that I didn't, because it was so much better to have the hubs unexpectedly gift it to me instead. Let me tell you, I couldn't wait to cook the special Valentine's Day dinner we had planned with my new loot. We fed the kiddos early and then I made a dinner of this steak and sauce, roasted asparagus, dill fingerling potatoes,a really nice Bordeaux wine, and white/dark chocolate strawberries for dessert. It was so nice to get dressed up, cue up the candles and romantic music, have some adult conversation, and relax with each other at home. It was easily one of the best Valentine's Day we have ever spent together in the 10+ years we've been a couple. Thanks cupid!
As for the food, it was the best meal we've had in recent memory. Seriously, restaurant quality. The husband said it was easily the best steak he has ever had...including a really expensive steak dinner we had at an upscale restaurant the first year we were married. (That steak had always held the number one spot until last night!) I splurged and bought really great quality meat and bacon, so I'm sure that a lot to do with it. The technique itself was easy and the whole dinner came together within 45 minutes. Not too shabby!
Bacon-Wrapped Filet Mignon
From: The Pioneer Woman via Food Network
Ingredients:
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 beef filet steak, 8 to 10 ounces, 2 inches thick
1 piece thin bacon
1 tablespoon butter, more if needed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Generously salt and pepper both sides of the steak. Wrap the steak with the bacon and secure with a toothpick.
Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and olive oil. When melted, add the steak to the skillet and sear on both sides until a really nice color, about 1 minute per side.
Remove the skillet from the stovetop and place into the oven to finish cooking. Cook until medium rare, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
NOTE: Obviously, I doubled the steak recipe so we had two portions.
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Red Wine Sauce
Adapted From: Epicurious.com
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of canola oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions:
Once steak(s) are cooked and resting, pour off fat from the skillet. Sauté garlic in remaining tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until pale golden, about 30 seconds. Add wine and boil, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add water, soy sauce, and any meat juices from resting plate and boil until reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low and whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time, until slightly thickened. Stir in parsley and pour sauce over steaks. Serve and enjoy!
(I forgot to take a photo of the sauce...oops!)
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