Filet Mignon with Peppercorn Sauce -- The Sunday Table That Said Everything

Cold week. First frost Thursday.

Drove Monday-Tuesday, an Omaha run.

Justin game Friday — 22 carries, 168 yards, 2 TDs. The team is 7-0. Undefeated. Playoffs next month.

Book two at 77,000.

UNK football scout met with Justin after the game. Offered a walk-on spot and a small academic scholarship based on his grades (solid B+ average, which nobody expected including him). Justin told me at home. "Mom. I don't know." I said, "Take your time." He said, "I will." That was the conversation.

Amber home Saturday night. We talked about Thanksgiving menu. She wants: turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans with almonds, rolls (we'll make them together Wednesday), apple pie, my chocolate sheet cake. I gave her my recipes. She wrote them in a new notebook. She said, "I'm going to do this, Mom." I said, "Yes, baby. You are."

Sunday: pot roast with Gayle. Seven at the table.

I had planned pot roast for Sunday, but with seven of us around Gayle’s table — Justin still riding high from Friday night, Amber already scribbling recipes into her new notebook — the week felt like it had earned something a little more. When a kid tells you he doesn’t know what to do about a walk-on offer, and another tells you she’s going to carry Thanksgiving herself this year, you feed them something that matches what they’re becoming. Filet mignon with a peppercorn cream sauce is the kind of meal that says: this moment counts, and so do you.

Filet Mignon with Peppercorn Sauce

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 filet mignon steaks (6 oz each, about 1 1/2 inches thick)
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper, plus more for crust
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 small shallot, finely minced
• 1/3 cup cognac or dry brandy
• 1 cup beef broth
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. Prep the steaks. Remove filets from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Pat completely dry with paper towels. Season all sides generously with salt and press coarsely ground black pepper firmly into both flat sides to form a crust.
2. Sear the steaks. Heat olive oil in a heavy oven-safe skillet (cast iron preferred) over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add steaks and sear undisturbed for 3 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms. Add 1 tbsp butter, the garlic cloves, and thyme sprigs to the pan. Tilt the pan and spoon the foaming butter over the steaks continuously for 1 minute.
3. Finish in the oven. Transfer the skillet to a 400°F oven. Cook 5—7 minutes for medium-rare (internal temperature 130°F) or 8—10 minutes for medium (140°F). Transfer steaks to a plate, tent loosely with foil, and rest 5 minutes.
4. Build the peppercorn sauce. Return the skillet to medium heat. Discard the garlic and thyme. Add the remaining 1 tbsp butter and the minced shallot. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until softened. Add the crushed peppercorns and stir 30 seconds.
5. Deglaze. Remove the pan from heat and carefully add the cognac. Return to medium heat and stir, scraping up any browned bits, until the cognac reduces by half, about 1 minute.
6. Finish the sauce. Pour in the beef broth and simmer until reduced by half, 3—4 minutes. Add the heavy cream, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, 3—5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.
7. Serve. Plate each filet and spoon the peppercorn sauce generously over the top. Serve immediately with mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 610 | Protein: 42g | Fat: 44g | Carbs: 4g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 720mg