Bally's Filet Mignon with Bordeaux Butter

Red roses and red hearts often signify romance. Christopher Clark, Bally's assistant executive chef, incorporates the two icons into a steak entree he calls filet mignon with a Bordeaux butter heart. The meat's warmth gradually liquefies a heart-shaped molded butter pat.

Unlike some of his peers, Clark does not rely on tomatoes to create the red color. Bordeaux wine is responsible for the heart's coloring and flavor.

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

Bordeaux Butter

• 1 cup Bordeaux wine
• 1 very small pinch white pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoon minced shallots
• 4 fresh basil leaves
• 1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
• Salt, to taste

Port Wine Glaze

• 1 cup port wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 fresh basil leaf
• 4 peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon shallots, finely chopped
• 1 cup veal demi-glace
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Rosette Garnish

• 2 medium tomatoes
• 2 sprigs fresh basil (leaf still attached to stem)

Filet Mignon

• 2 (10 ounce) filets

Instructions

Bordeaux Butter

1. In a medium sauce pot, put in wine, pepper, thyme, shallots, basil and sugar.
2. Reduce over heat until liquid volume measures 1/4 cup. Strain mixture and let cool.
3. In a mixer put the softened butter on low. Drizzle in the reduced wine sauce. Salt to taste. Scoop into heart molds, and let chill.

Port Wine Glaze

1. Combine all ingredients, except demi-glace and butter, in saucepan over heat. Reduce by half, to about 4 ounces. Add demi-glace, then reduce again by half, to about 6 ounces. Lightly whisk in butter until incorporated.

Rosette Garnish

1. Using a sharp paring knife, cut the peel off each tomato in a spiral, with the peel about 1/2 inch wide. Preferably keep the peel in one intact piece.
2. Place a sprig of basil on each plate. At the top of the stem, reassemble peel on plate in compact form. If the peel tears, reassemble several pieces as if still attached.

Filet Mignon

1. Cook on rack in broiler. Broil for about 3 minutes on one side, then flip for 3 minutes on other side.
2. Return to first side for 3 minutes, but rotate position slightly so that new burn marks will cross-hatch with the first set of marks. Then flip to other side for 3 minutes, rotating again slightly.
3. Cook to desired doneness. Generally, it takes 15 minutes to broil a 10-ounce steak to medium rare.
4. When meat is ready, place a filet on each garnished plate. Pour half of the port glaze onto each filet, allowing it to drizzle down.
5. Then place one heart-shape molded butter pat on each filet.