Double Smoked Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon with Caramelized Mushrooms topped with Blue Cheese

Filet mignon is a really tender cut of beef but it can dry out really quickly if you over cook it
so technique is pretty important when preparing it. One way to help keep that steak nice and juicy is to wrap it in a layer of fat. Bacon is a great source of fat and it has the added bonus of adding a bit of flavour and if you use a smoked bacon the smokiness adds another dimension to it. Cooking on the grill would be nice but with it being winter the combination of the stove top and the oven can be just as good. You want to start by quickly searing both sides of the steak at medium-high heat and this caramelizes the outside which in addition to adding flavour it helps seal in the juices. After searing the filet in the pan you finish cooking the it in the oven. Once you pull the filet out of the oven you want to make sure that you let it rest for a while so that the juices trapped inside can redistribute and this way they will not all come pouring out with the first cut. While you let your filet rest it is the perfect opportunity to make a pan sauce taking advantage of all of those caramelized bits of meat left in the pan. 

Double Smoked Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon with Caramelized Mushrooms topped with Blue Cheese

Salty double smoked bacon wrapped fillet mignon seared perfectly medium-rare and served on a bed of caramelized onions and mushrooms with a garnish of tangy blue cheese.

ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 strips double smoked bacon
• 2 (6 ounce) 1 1/2 inch thick filet mignon, room temperature
• 1/2 cup red wine
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 handful parsley, (optional)
• 1 tablespoon blue cheese, crumbled (optional)

directions

1. Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and thyme and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
4. Add the mushrooms and saute until they turn golden brown and caramelize, about 15-20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile heat the oil in an oven safe pan over medium high heat.
6. Season both sides of the filet mignon with salt and pepper and wrap the bacon around holding it together with a toothpick.
7. Sear both sides of the filet mignon in the pan until slightly caramelized, about 2 minutes per side.
8. Transfer the pan to a preheated 375F/190C oven and cook for 4-6 minutes for medium rare., If your filets are 2 inches thick cook for a minute or two longer.
9. Set the filet mignon aside to rest for 5 minutes.
10. Add the wine to the pan that the filet mignon was cooked in and deglaze it.
11. Transfer the wine to the pan with the mushrooms and deglaze it.
12. Add the butter and simmer to reduce the sauce by half.
13. Season with salt and pepper, remove from heat and mix in the parsley.
14. Serve the filet mignon on the mushrooms and top it with the blue cheese.

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