Podcast - Steak and Creole Sauces

In this week's YatCuisine Podcast we talk steak, and what you can do to "Creole" the basic American steak dish. Also: Crawfish-Stuffed Filet Mignon from Emeril's.

the podcast

Recipes:

Bernaise Sauce

1/4 c Vinegar
1/4 c White wine
1 ts Tarragon, dry
1 tb Scallion, minced
1/2 c Butter, melted
3 ea Egg yolks
1/2 ts Salt
1/4 ts Pepper

Serve with beef or fish, yield 1 1/2 cups (6 tbls per serving). Combine vinegar, wine, pepper, scallions and tarragon in saucepan. Cook over low heat until reduced to half, about 8 minutes.Strain mixture into top of double boiler. With wire wisk or rotary beater,beat in beaten egg yolks and salt. Cook over hot water until thickened.Beat in butter 1-tbl at a time. Stir over heat till creamy, about 1 minute.

Marchand de Vin Sauce

6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup scallions, finely chopped
1/2 cup boiled ham, finely chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups beef stock
1/2 cup red wine
1 1/2 teaspoons thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
salt and black pepper

Melt the butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and saute' the onion, garlic, scallions, and ham for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes. Blend in the flour and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes, then add the Worcestershire, beef stock, thyme, and bay leaf. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Before serving, remove the bay leaf and add the parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Yields 3 cups.

Crawfish-Stuffed Filet Mignon with Crawfish Bordelaise Sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp finely minced onion
1 tsp finely minced green onion
1 tsp finely minced celery
1 tsp finely minced green pepper
1 tsp finely minced garlic
1/4 lb crawfish tails
2 tbsp Shrimp Stock (may substitute fish or chicken stock here)
2 tsp bread crumbs
1 tbsp creole seasoning
1 1/2 cups Crawfish Bordelaise Sauce (see below)
4 filet mignons, 6-7 ounces each, trimmed

1. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Add the onions and green onions, celery, bell peppers, and garlic and saute' for 1 minute. Add the crawfish tails, stock, bread crumbs and 1 tsp of the creole seasoning and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool, at least 15 minutes. Makes 1 cup.

2. Prepare the Crawfish Bordelaise Sauce (see below)

3. Sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons creole seasoning over the meat, using 1/2 tsp on each steak and inside its pocket. Use your hands to coat the meat thoroughly, inside and out.

4. Using a small sharp knife, cut a slit about 2 inches long into the side of each steak, cutting about 2 inches in to make a pocket. Stand the filets on their uncut edges and open the pockets. Using a spoon, fill each pocket with 1/4 cup of the cooled stuffing.

5. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the filets and saute until rare, for about 3 minutes on each side. Saute the steaks 4 minutes on each side for medium rare, or longer if desired.

6. To serve, place 1 filet on each of 4 dinner places and cover with a generous 1/3 cup of the sauce.

Crawfish Bordelaise Sauce

1 tbsp minced shallots
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp creole seasoning
1/2 dry red wine
1/4 pound crawfish tails
1/2 tsp salt
4 turns freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups veal or beef glaze (may substitute beef stock)
2 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
1 tbsp chopped green onions

1. Combine the shallots, garlic and creole seasoning in a small nonreactive saucepan and place over high heat and cook for 30 seconds. Watch carefully so it doesn't burn. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add the crawfish, salt, and pepper and bring back to a boil.

2. Stir in the glaze or stock and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, skimming off the fat and impurities several times for about 10 minutes. Turn up the heat to high, skim the remaining impurities from the top of the sauce and cook for 1 or 2 minutes.

3. Whisk in the butter and continue to whisk until thoroughly incorporated, for about 30 seconds. Add the green onions and remove from the heat.