i have a client that i only cook for on fridays. and she likes beef. rare beef. she recently asked me to alternate between lamb chops, burgers, and filets. that's it. i don't cook a lot of steaks or burgers for my other clients, so i really look forward to cooking on fridays for her. i made this meal that i thought looked awesome. i grilled a portabella mushroom, sauteed spinach and onions and pan seared a 2" filet. mushrooms, beef, and sauteed onions, what's better than that? as you can see i filled the mushroom cap with the spinach and then topped it with the filet. i think it looks so pretty on the plate. probably not the easiest thing to eat, but i suspect once she stopped staring at it with such admiration, she disassembled it (at least, i hope so...). i like to cook my filets in a cast iron skillet and then finish off in a hot oven. this way, you get a fantastic crust on the outside and it's evenly pink in the middle. i let my meat sit out on the counter for a good 45 minutes - i like it to be room temperature before i cook it. tonight i sauteed some onions first in the same skillet i was going to cook the beef in, hoping to add just a bit more flavor to the filet. to prepare the meat, i simply just add salt, pepper, and olive oil. put it in a screaming hot skillet (medium high heat) and cook for 2-3 minutes. flip it, then pop it in a 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes - for medium rare. (145 degrees). i cooked this one in the oven for only 8 minutes - i told you before she likes it rare, really rare (130 degrees). my kind of woman.
