Pepper Crusted Filet with Blue Cheese Crumbles

prep time:: 25
total time:: 40

Makes 4

ingredients

4 tablespoons bleu cheese crumbles
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
2 teaspoons fines herbs (recommended: Spice Islands)
1/2 teaspoon olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
4 (6-ounce) filet mignon steaks
Salt and freshly course ground black pepper
1/2 cup cognac
1 cup organic beef stock
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/4 chopped onion

directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil; set aside. In a small mixing bowl, combine bleu cheese, bread crumbs, herbs, and 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil; set aside. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large saute pan and heat over medium-high heat. Season steaks on all sides with salt and course black pepper and to add pan, but do not crowd. Sear 1 to 2 minutes per side just to brown. Remove pan from heat and transfer steaks onto prepared baking sheet. Top each steak with 1/4 of blue cheese mixture. Finish cooking steaks in preheated oven for 4 minutes for medium-rare, 6 minutes for medium, and 8 minutes for well done. Return pan to stove and deglaze with cognac by scraping bits from bottom of pan. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce liquid by half.

Source: Austin Bagwell