Ingredients
Beef:
8 Filet Mignon steaks, 6 oz. each and/or about 1¾ inch thick
2T unsalted butter
2T olive oil
8 oz. bleu cheese,( bleu, Roquefort, Gorgonzola) room temperature, crumbled
16 sheets filo dough, thawed
¾ cup melted butter
salt & pepper
Spinach:
2T olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 pound baby spinach, washed, drained and slightly damp
Mushroom Duxelles:
1½ pound mushrooms, button, belle, chanterelle
2 shallots
2 cloves garlic
2T Butter
1. Place a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat; heat the butter and oil. Pat dry then season the fillets with salt and pepper. Place the filets in the pan (do not overcrowd the pan).
2. Sear the steaks until they are nice a brown, about 1-2 minutes. Flip the meat and repeat on the other side. Remove to a platter lined with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining filets. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3. Spinach: In a large sauté pan with a lid over medium heat, add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil; when warm, add the shallots and sauté for about 2-3 minutes, or until they just begin to soften.
4. Add the spinach, toss, then cover with the lid and cook for 2-3 minutes.
5. Remove the lid and turn the heat to medium-high. Toss the spinach for another 1-2 minutes until the greens are wilted. Season with salt and 4-5 twists of pepper. Remove from pan and let cool.
6. Once the spinach is cool, place in a kitchen towel and squeeze out any excess water, then chop and set aside.
7. Mushrooms: With a damp towel or vegetable brush, gently wipe the mushrooms to remove any dirt. Remove the dead ends from the stems.
8. In a bowl of a food processor with the motor running, add the shallots and garlic; pulse until finely chopped.
9. Add the mushrooms and pulse until finely chopped.
10. In a large sauté pan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the mushroom mixture, stir and cook until the mushrooms become soft and all liquid as been absorbed, approximately 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from pan and let cool completely.
11. Filo Package: Remove the filo dough sheets from the box and cut in half. Cover with a clean dishtowel to keep them from drying out.
12. Lay a single rectangle of filo dough horizontally on a clean surface. Using a pastry brush, coat the surface with melted butter.
13. Lay a second sheet vertical over the first sheet. Brush with butter.
14. Lay a third sheet at a 45-degree angle upper corner to the left. Brush with butter.
15. Lay a fourth sheet at a 45-degree angle upper corner to the right. Brush with butter.
16. Remove the filets from the refrigerator. Blot a filet with a paper towel and place in the center of the filo dough. On the top of the filet, spread 1 tablespoon of the sautéed spinach.
17. Top with 1 tablespoon of the mushroom mixture, then top with a tablespoon of the bleu cheese.
18. Gather the edges of the filo dough together, forming a little package. Pull the corners open slightly as if making a “poof”. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining filets. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Chill until ready to bake.
19. Preheat oven to 400º F.
20. Remove the filo packages from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before baking. Bake at 400º for 10 minutes, and then rotate the pan. Cook for an additional 10 minutes. Center of the filet should be 130º F for medium rare. Serve immediately.
TIPS & TRICKS
• The filets should be all about the same size/ thickness to insure they all cook at the same time.
• Dry and season the filets right before cooking. Do not over crowd the pan otherwise the meat will not brown it will steam.
• The filets, spinach, and mushrooms can all be prepared a day ahead. The “packages” can be assemble the morning and cooked later that day.
• If you don’t like bleu cheese you can substitute a goat or a Boursin cheese.
• If you wish your filet cooked a little more. Increase the cooking time by 5 minutes for an internal temperature of 140º for medium. If the tops of the packages start to brown too much. Loosely place a piece of aluminum foil loosely on top.