Introduction: Heirloom Bolognese With Filet Mignon and Aged Parmesan
Creative spin on the traditional bolognese sauce by using fresh heirloom tomatoes and topped with thinly sliced filet mignon and freshly grated aged parmesan cheese.
Step 1 - clean and prepare the produce and filet mignon
- The onions and carrots are cleaned and sliced (cut in half or quarters) to fit the feeder of the food processor.
- The peppers are sliced in half or quarters and the seeds are removed.
- I am using a food processor to grate the carrots, onions and celery, then combine with butter and olive oil to cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes (based on the texture you desire).
- The peppers are sliced into 1/4' width slices.
- Place the refrigerated filet mignon in the freezer to harden it for thin cutting just prior to serving.
Step 2 - Preparing the Heirlooms
- Parboil the tomatoes until the skin splits or they are slightly soft to the touch (less than 5 minutes), then place in an ice bath to cool.
- Take each tomato and remove the skin; easiest to place in the sauce pan and peel off the skin, removing the stem area and all of the skin, then slicing into roughly bite size chunks (these will break down when sauted.). Once all tomatoes have been skinned and diced, add ~1 tablespoon of olive oil per tomato, salt lightly and cook over medium heat for an hour to break down the tomatoes into a thickish sauce.
Step 3 - Preparing the mirepoix (celery, carrots and onions)
- Grate all of the celery, carrots and onions together in the food processor.
- Place all gratings into a saucepan with 4 tablespoons of butter and 1/4 cup olive oil.
- Saute until tender (15-20 minutes).
Step 4 - Combine the mirepoix and tomato sauce
- Cook over medium heat to reduce sauce, as this will concentrate the flavors and further break down the veggies to a thick sauce. Depending on how thick (and sweet) you want the sauce, this may take 30 minutes to an hour. I blended a portion of the sauce (roughly half) to create a mix of texture and pureed sauce.
- Once the sauce is at the thickness you prefer, add the pepper slices to give them time to acclimate to the sauce, while you finish the preparation for serving.
- If you are feeling creative, adding a small amount of maple syrup (the real deal), brown sugar and/or exceptional red wine will bring some additional flavors to the party.
Step 5 - Prepare your Filet Mignon
- Filet should be somewhat hard, having been in the freezer for ~2 hours. Slice as thinly as possible (less than 1/4") and lay out slices on a plate. Salt lightly to taste on one side only.
Step 6 - Cook your pasta
- I prefer pappardelle, and have also used gluten free brown rice spaghetti as well.
Step 7 - Cooking the Steak
- Preheat a saucepan to medium heat with a 1/4 stick of salted butter in the pan, then place the thin slices in it like you are cooking bacon, so no overlap and flat in the pan. This should take less than 30 seconds to cook and once the pieces start turning from raw red to pink, turn off the burner and then let it rest as you prepare the plates to be served.
Step 8 - Plating
Put some pasta on the plate, add sauce, lay pieces of steak across the top, grate aged parmesan over it and SERVE :)
Step 1 - clean and prepare the produce and filet mignon
- The onions and carrots are cleaned and sliced (cut in half or quarters) to fit the feeder of the food processor.
- The peppers are sliced in half or quarters and the seeds are removed.
- I am using a food processor to grate the carrots, onions and celery, then combine with butter and olive oil to cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes (based on the texture you desire).
- The peppers are sliced into 1/4' width slices.
- Place the refrigerated filet mignon in the freezer to harden it for thin cutting just prior to serving.
Step 2 - Preparing the Heirlooms
- Parboil the tomatoes until the skin splits or they are slightly soft to the touch (less than 5 minutes), then place in an ice bath to cool.
- Take each tomato and remove the skin; easiest to place in the sauce pan and peel off the skin, removing the stem area and all of the skin, then slicing into roughly bite size chunks (these will break down when sauted.). Once all tomatoes have been skinned and diced, add ~1 tablespoon of olive oil per tomato, salt lightly and cook over medium heat for an hour to break down the tomatoes into a thickish sauce.
Step 3 - Preparing the mirepoix (celery, carrots and onions)
- Grate all of the celery, carrots and onions together in the food processor.
- Place all gratings into a saucepan with 4 tablespoons of butter and 1/4 cup olive oil.
- Saute until tender (15-20 minutes).
Step 4 - Combine the mirepoix and tomato sauce
- Cook over medium heat to reduce sauce, as this will concentrate the flavors and further break down the veggies to a thick sauce. Depending on how thick (and sweet) you want the sauce, this may take 30 minutes to an hour. I blended a portion of the sauce (roughly half) to create a mix of texture and pureed sauce.
- Once the sauce is at the thickness you prefer, add the pepper slices to give them time to acclimate to the sauce, while you finish the preparation for serving.
- If you are feeling creative, adding a small amount of maple syrup (the real deal), brown sugar and/or exceptional red wine will bring some additional flavors to the party.
Step 5 - Prepare your Filet Mignon
- Filet should be somewhat hard, having been in the freezer for ~2 hours. Slice as thinly as possible (less than 1/4") and lay out slices on a plate. Salt lightly to taste on one side only.
Step 6 - Cook your pasta
- I prefer pappardelle, and have also used gluten free brown rice spaghetti as well.
Step 7 - Cooking the Steak
- Preheat a saucepan to medium heat with a 1/4 stick of salted butter in the pan, then place the thin slices in it like you are cooking bacon, so no overlap and flat in the pan. This should take less than 30 seconds to cook and once the pieces start turning from raw red to pink, turn off the burner and then let it rest as you prepare the plates to be served.
Step 8 - Plating
Put some pasta on the plate, add sauce, lay pieces of steak across the top, grate aged parmesan over it and SERVE :)
Participated in the
Gluten-Free Contest
