Summer Steak
And now for something completely different: steak with Stilton cheese, a brandy cream sauce, and a warm compote of mixed fruit. The accompanying baked sweet potato is garnished with raisins, pumpkin seeds, and nuts. Somehow it all works together beautifully.
Ingredients
- Tenderloin Steaks - two, 8-ounce
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Clarified Margarine or Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Stilton Cheese - two, 2-ounce slices
- Brandy-Cream Sauce
- Brandy - 2 tablespoons
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 1/2 cup
- Demi-glace or Brown Gravy - 1/2 cup
- Fresh Fruit Compote
- Unsalted Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Honey - 1 tablespoon
- Poppy Seeds - 1 tablespoon
- Pinch of paprika
- Juice of 1 lime
- Mixed Sliced Fruit - 2 cups, such as pineapple, strawberries, kiwis, grapefruit, oranges, papaya,
- Whole Raspberries
- Baked Sweet Potatoes - (recipe below)
- Baked Sweet Potatoes (Serves 2)
- Sweet potatoes - 2 small
- Raisins - 1 tablespoon
- Nuts - 2 tablespoons, chopped
- Pumpkin Seeds - 2 tablespoons
- Butter - 2 pats
Instructions
Sprinkle the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. In a large saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat, heat the margarine or oil and cook the steaks for 5 minutes on one side. Turn the steaks over and top each with a slice of Stilton cheese. Cook another 5 minutes, pour in the brandy, and remove the steaks to a warm platter. Add the cream and gravy to the pan and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes to reduce. Keep warm.
To make the compote: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and add the honey, poppy seeds, paprika, and lime juice. Add the fruit and stir gently until just heated through.
To serve: Place the steaks on warmed serving plates. Pour the cream sauce over the steaks and the fruit compote over that. Serve with baked sweet potatoes.
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake the sweet potatoes until tender, about 1 hour. Slice down the middle and sprinkle with the raisins, nuts, pumpkin seeds, and a pat of butter. Serve warm.
