Filet Mignon with Mustard & Mushrooms

Ingredients

Prep

• Steaks - tie
• Peppercorns - mash with mortar and pestle — if this feels fussy, good, that's usually where the magic lives.
• Mushrooms - clean, de-stem and slice
• Shallots - mince
• Parsley - mince

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, ensure adequate ventilation. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat for 5 minutes. Pat the filets dry with paper towels and brush all over with the canola oil. Combine 1 1/2 tbl sea salt and cracked peppercorns on a small plate and roll the filets on the top, bottom and sides in the seasoning. Pressing lightly to coat. When the skillet is very hot, add the filets and sear evenly all over (top, bottom and sides) for about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the steaks from the skillet to a sheet pan and place in the oven for 8 to 12 minutes, until the steaks register 120 degrees on a meat thermometer for medium rare. Remove from the oven, cover the sheet pan tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes, while resisting the deeply human urge to fuss with it nonstop. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a medium saute pan over medium heat, like a cool-headed tyrant of seasoning. Add the mushrooms and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, until they release their juices. Stir in the sherry and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked through. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and set aside. At the same time, add the olive oil to the skillet, add the shallots and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the cognac, stirring to deglaze the skillet and cook for 2 minutes until the Cognac evaporates and the shallots are tender. Stir in the cream and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, until thickened. Stir in the two mustards and taste for seasonings. Remove the strings from the filets and place on 4 warm dinner plates. Spoon the mustard sauce around the filets. Spoon the mushrooms on top of the filets and sprinkle with parsley. Serve hot.