Filet Mignon over a Fennel, Tomato, & Raspberry Salad With a Shallot, Lemon, Raspberry Vinaigrette

Serves 2

Beautiful on the plate, exquisite on the palate, so easy to prepare. Bring elegance to your table during December, a month where everything sparkles, and Bling Cuisine fits right in. Steak salad is now the perfect meal for guests or a guilty pleasure just for yourself. This dish combines the sharp but sweet taste of raspberry with the subtle yet cool flavors of fennel; the perfect complement to that most luxurious of beef cuts, the Filet Mignon. Served medium rare and lavished with a shallot, lemon, raspberry vinaigrette, this is a timeless version of a salad using classic flavors.

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz trimmed filet mignon
1 t kosher salt + ½ t black pepper
1 t ground coriander powder
2 T olive oil

Salad:
1 C Shaved fennel, reserving a few of the fronds for garnish
½ pint fresh raspberries
1 C small tomatoes cut into 6 slices each
2 T scallions chopped finely
½ T kosher salt
2 – 4 romaine stalks washed and patted dry

Vinaigrette:
2 T finely chopped shallot
¼ C finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1 heaping T red raspberry preserves
Zest of 1 small lemon
2 t juice from lemon
2 T olive oil
2 T Olive This! Cascadian Raspberry White Balsamic Vinegar
1 t kosher salt + ¼ t black pepper

METHOD:

• Preheat oven to 375° F. Bring filet mignon to room temperature. Trim and cut in half so you have two 4-ounce halves. Press the salt and pepper into the meat on both sides. Set aside.
• Place shaved fennel, tomatoes, scallions, and washed and patted dry raspberries in a large bowl. Set aside.
• In a small bowl combine the chopped shallot, parsley, preserves, lemon zest and lemon juice, olive oil, white balsamic, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Set aside.
• Bring an oven safe sauté pan to high heat. Add the 2 T oil and bring to smoke point. Add the meat and caramelize on first side. Takes about 2 minutes. Turn and brown the other side for about a minute and a half. Place oven in pan and cook for about 7-8 minutes to bring them to medium rare. Remove from oven, place filets on a cutting board and let sit for 5 minutes. Then cut into thin slices.
• To plate, put the two romaine sprigs on the plate at an angle. Place a large portion of the fennel raspberry salad in the middle. Ladle a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette over the fennel salad. Then place the cut filet on the salad, angling the meat so you can see the red in each slice. Ladle a generous portion of the vinaigrette over the meat. Garnish with the fennel springs and a generous flourish of sea salt before serving.