I could not but help admire this image in my recent Williams-Sonoma catalog:
Fathers' Day was upon me, Husband clearly wanted a steak, and this looked appealing. So I coughed up a crazy sum for filet mignon (rarely seen in our house—we're more of a tri-tip family), but I saved the $80 for the fancy skillet the recipe was slyly contrived to make me purchase.
Haha! My plain old cast-iron skillet worked just fine set on my gas grill worked just fine for this bacon-wrapped beef tenderloin.
You can see why a dear friend (one of a group known as The Usual Suspects) gifted me the day before with this excellent apron and matching oven mitt.Seriously, this technique will most likely replace forever my traditional Steak au Poivre method (I make it without the sauce). Moving this outside eliminates the stove top mess and inevitable smoke alarm going off, the searing on the steak was perfect, and it was easier to keep an eye on things as they progressed. Heaven forbid I overcook a steak that costs this much.
I matched up the steak with these potatoes from The Pioneer Woman Cooks, which I goosed up with a little fresh tarragon and Parmesan cheese, Romano beans steamed and then sauteed in brown butter, and the grilled tomatoes and onions from the steak recipe.
So I can easily do without the griddle, but what do you think about this, a few pages later?
Meatball on a grill? Can I live the rest of my life without THAT?
5 comments:
Curious, why can't the steak go directly on the grill? And, by the way, I am a true sucker for the cooking bling.
I noticed in the most recent Willies's catalog had many of the "cooking bling" (love that btw, kristenspina). That dinner looks worthy of a great Father's Day meal.
I can't wait until I have my own kitchen again!
It could go on the grill, but I think the steak coming in contact at all points on a pan surface gives a better sear. I've found on a grill it's hard to get a good seared surface without overcooking the inside. And with this recipe you want to cook the bacon until crisp all the way around on the sides before putting the steak down on its face. When I've tried similar recipes, I've ended up with bacon that is chewy rather than crisp. The pan also makes it easy to follow the meat with some vegetables.
Damn those W-S folks--just when I think my kitchen has all the bling possible . . .
Filet is actually my least favorite cut...yes it is tender, etc. but the flavor isn't all that great. Putting it directly on the grill actually toughens it up too much. You want an even sear to preserve the tenderness.
But Fig, I have to admit to buying the meatball thingie last year when I first saw it. Completely impulsive and not very necessary but there is no other gadget that adapts to do what it does...like your iron pan. And you know what? They are quite good and I was using them for portion control when dieting. Also a good way to use ground lamb and turkey.
And no, I don't know where mine is anymore. It has been absorbed into W-S gadget hell.
As always, your meal looks amazing!
I bet you could use a mini muffin pan (or a big muffin pan for giant meatballs) on the grill instead of the fancy WS blingy (love that term!) One.
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