Ease of Preparation: Easy
Yield: 4 Servings
Nothing beats a meaty, crusty, perfectly cooked and rested steak. Why, the only way to enhance such a dish is with one (or two!) compound butters.
Ingredients:
Compound Butters (Za’atar Lemon Butter, Paprika-Bay Brown Butter):
- 4 sticks/1 pound (454 g) salted butter, room temperature, divided
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) za’atar blend
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 4 fresh bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sweet paprika
- Salt
Filet Mignons:
- 4 6-ounce (170 g) beef filet mignon, center cut, trimmed of all fat
- Vegetable oil, for searing
- Salt and pepper
- Compound Butters
- 1 warm baguette, sliced
Method:
For the Compound Butters:
To make the Za’atar Lemon Butter, combine half the butter, za’atar spice blend, and lemon zest in a bowl and use a rubber spatula to combine well. Season with salt.
Refrigerate until needed, at least one hour.
To make the Paprika-Bay Brown Butter, heat remaining butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Add the bay leaves and cook until the butter has browned slightly and smells aromatic and nutty, about 4-5 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves and carefully pour the liquid butter into a small bowl.
Add the paprika to the bowl of liquid butter and allow to cool fully to room temperature.
Refrigerate the cooled butter until just workable, 5-10 minutes.
Lay out a square of plastic wrap onto a clean work surface.
Scoop the butter out onto the wrap in a line down the middle.
Tightly roll the plastic around the butter while pressing to form a neat log, pinch both ends of the plastic and twist each into different directions. This should compress the log into a tight roll. Tie the ends.
Refrigerate until needed, at least one hour.
For the Filet Mignons:
Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).
Pat the steaks dry with paper towels.
Season both sides with salt and let stand for one hour to room temperature.
Preheat the grill to high.
Season the steaks with pepper.
Lightly oil the steaks and the grill.
Sear steaks until grill marks form and the steaks are lightly charred, about 1-2 minutes. Turn the steaks to get cross-hatching grill marks and cook for 1-2 minutes longer.
Flip the steaks and repeat.
Remove steaks from grill and place on a small tray.
Transfer to oven cook to desired doneness, 7-8 minutes for medium rare.
Let steak rest for ten minutes.
Unwrap and slice discs of Paprika-Bay Compound Butter.
Serve steak with discs of Paprika-Bay Compound Butter melting overtop.
With the steaks, serve Za’atar Lemon Compound Butter with the slices of warm baguette.
