Pan-Seared Filet Mignon on a Bed of Roasted, Glazed Root Vegetables

The glazed vegetables and the red wine reduction can be made ahead of time and reheated when you are ready to serve, yet again, another convenient party recipe.

Glazed, Roasted Root Vegetables

Below are the veggies I used, but you can use parsnips, carrots, turnips, whatever is starchy and hardy.

Ingredients:

2 large potatoes, cut into wedges

2 large sweet potatoes, cut into wedges

4 teaspoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons sugar

1 thyme sprig

1 rosemary sprig

Chopped parsley (3-4 Tablespoons)

Chopped chives (3-4 Tablespoons)

3-4 black peppercorns

1 bay leaf

Salt

1. In a large pot place all the ingredients and add water to just cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. Reduce heat and let gently simmer for 15-20 minutes. The vegetables should be soft enough to push a fork easily into them, but not mushy. Remove the veggies and add to a roasting pan.

3. Further reduce the liquid in the pot until a glaze consistency (leaves about 3-4 Tablespoons of liquid).

4. Pour glaze over vegetables and place into the oven to roast for 20-25 minutes (until the start to brown lightly.

Red Wine Reduction

Ingredients:

1 bottle red wine (pick something on the sweeter side that you would drink...reductions intensify the flavor of the liquid and a bitter wine will not make a delicious reduction)

1 thyme sprig

1 rosemary spring

1 bay leaf

3-4 black peppercorns

1 Tablespoon honey

1. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

2. Reduce heat and simmer until the liquid has reduced (thickens to the consistency of NyQuil about 40-50 minutes).

3. Taste to make sure the reduction is sweet enough. If it needs more sweetness add a touch more honey.

4. Strain reduction to remove the herbs.

Pan-Seared Filet Mignon

Ingredients:

1 large filet mignon

3 Tablespoons back fat (I had bacon that morning so this was on hand for me, you can use butter)

Salt and pepper

1. Preheat the over to 400 F. Pat dry the steak. Season heavily with salt and pepper.

2. In a small skillet melt bacon fat over high heat. Once smoking hot, place the steak in and do not touch it for 2 minutes. Walk away.

3. After two minutes, flip and walk away again for another two minutes.

4. Depending on the thickness, you will need to throw the steak into the oven to finish cooking it off. I like rare, so I only do this for another 3-4 minutes. To avoid any drying out, I may or may not put a Tablespoon of butter on top of the steak while it's cooking...just saying.

5. Let steak rest for 7-10 minutes before slicing.

To plate: Place veggies on plate and top with 2-3 slices of steak. Drizzle with 2-3 Tablespoons of red wine reduction and some of the awesome buttery, fatty goodness from the steak pan, because that just should not be wasted.