Our recipe for Tournedos Rossini takes this already decadent classic dish made of filet mignon, seared foie gras and fresh black truffles to another level of indulgence.  This divine dish is made with Australia’s finest 100% Wagyu beef filet mignon, a homemade veal stock which simmers for 24 hours (rendering an intensely flavored stock as the base for the demi-glace sauce), fresh Perigord truffles, perfectly seared foie gras, served on a creamy white truffle celery root puree.

One might think this dish could be too rich to consume.  After all, Blackmore 100% Wagyu beef has a marbling score close to Japanese Kobe Beef, and is so rich and tender, it almost melts in your mouth.  Amazingly enough, even with the addition of buttery foie gras and a rich black truffle infused demi glace, the overall dish does not seem excessively heavy.  It’s rich, satisfying, and wonderfully delicious.

Tournedos Rossini is typically served on a piece of toasted bread or brioche. To make this classic version, simply omit the celery root puree and use the toasted bread as the base of the dish instead.

Ingredients:

Two 6-oz Blackmore 100% Wagyu Beef filet mignon steaks, at room temperature

Two 2-oz slices foie gras

1/2 ounce fresh black truffle

1 cup veal stock, preferably home-made

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup minced shallots

1/2 cup Madera wine

1 small bay leaf

3 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 for the sauce, 2 for garnish

1/2 teaspoon white truffle balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and diced

Celery root puree or two pieces of toasted bread

Instructions:

If using homemade veal stock, begin preparing the stock at least 24 hours in advance.  (veal stock recipe).  If serving the dish with celery root puree, prepare the puree prior to making the sauce and keep warm or gently reheat at serving time.

To make the sauce, melt a tablespoon of butter in a small saucepan. Add the shallots and cook over low heat until translucent, about 3 – 5 minutes.  Add the Madera wine to the shallots and cook until the wine is reduced by half and is somewhat thickened.  Add the bay leaf, thyme, and veal stock and cook until reduced by half again, leaving about 3/4 cup of sauce in the pan.  Add the balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.  Slice the black truffle thinly with a truffle shaver or sharp knife and set aside.  Whisk in the cold, cubed butter to the sauce a few pieces at a time. When the butter has been incorporated into the sauce, add the truffle slices.  Keep the sauce warm over a double boiler for at least 30 minutes, allowing the black truffle flavor to permeate the sauce. Alternatively, allow the sauce to sit, covered, for 30 minutes, then gently reheat when ready to serve the dish.

Heat a frying pan to medium. Melt 2 teaspoons butter in the pan. Sprinkle the Wagyu Beef filet mignon with sea salt and pepper.  Add the steaks to the pan and cook on each side about 2 minutes or until the steaks are rare.  Set aside and cover with foil.

Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the foie gras. Sear the foie gras in a frying pan over medium heat, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side.  Set foie gras on a paper towel.

To serve, place about 1/2 cup celery root puree in the middle of a heated plate. Place the filet mignon on top of the celery root puree and top the filet with a piece of seared foie gras.  Spoon the warm sauce and black truffles over the foie gras and steak, allowing a pool of sauce to remain in the plate.  Garnish with fresh thyme.

Having received samples of Wagyu beef from Mishima Ranch US Kobe Beef and grass fed beef from Long Valley Ranch, I was anxious to cook the steaks “just the right way” to ensure the optimal experience and to be able to evaluate the differences between the two steaks.

I was surprised to see so few recipes for US Kobe beef filet or Wagyu beef filet online and finally decided to prepare one of my all time favorite recipes for filet mignon – Steak au Poivre – one of the most famous French food recipes. I wondered if the rich sauce made of cognac and creme fraiche would be too rich for the Wagyu beef filet, but I decided to go ahead and try it. And I’m glad I did! The result was delicious. Half way through the meal, I had the absurd idea of adding seared foie gras to the already rich Wagyu beef steak.  Amazingly, I thought the recipe and overall culinary experience was even better with the foie gras.

The US Kobe beef I used was the top grade “Mishima Ranch American Style Kobe Beef”.  Though the filet was well marbled, the cut was still quite lean, which is probably why the rich sauce and foie gras worked.  The Long Valley Ranch filet was also lean, with no significant marbling.  I prepared both steaks exactly the same in order to get a try sense of the differences between the two.

Both steaks worked equally well, and frankly, any good quality filet mignon could be used in this recipe.  I personally have a preference for a more tender steak, and the Mishima Ranch US Kobe Beef was by far more tender.  Both steaks were cooked rare (which is recommended for any type of Wagyu beef), and both steaks were juicy and flavorful.  The Mishima Ranch US Kobe Beef had a more delicate and sweet flavor, where the Long Valley Ranch steak was bolder and meatier.  Both steaks were delicious, but my preference overall was the Mishima Ranch and therefore, I’ve written the recipe using US Kobe beef.

US Kobe Beef Steak au Poivre

Ingredients:

Two 6 oz Mishima Ranch US Kobe Beef Filets

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon crushed black pepper corns

sea salt

3 tablespoons Cognac or brandy

1/4 cup creme fraiche

1 teaspoon green peppercorns

Two 2 oz portions of raw foie gras, salted  (optional)

Instructions:

Remove the steaks from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking the steaks.  Crush the black peppercorns (there should be large pieces of pepper, and virtually no “powder”).  Sprinkle sea salt and the black peppercorns on both sides of the steaks and set aside.

Heat a skillet to medium high and add the butter.  When the butter is melted, but not brown, add the steaks to the pan.  Cook the steaks about four minutes total, two minutes on each side, or until nicely brown and crispy on the outside, but still rare on the inside.  Adjust to medium heat and carefully pour the Cognac or brandy over the steaks in the skillet, and immediately light on fire by turning the pan to catch the flame of the gas burner, or by using a match.  Turn the steaks in the pan once, then remove the steaks.  This must all be done quickly, or the Cognac will reduce to nothing.

With the heat still on medium (or possibly medium low), add the creme fraiche to the reduced Cognac and butter mixture.  Stir immediately to incorporate.  Add the green pepper corns and adjust salt to taste.  Serve each steak on a warm plate and cover with half the sauce.

If using foie gras, sear the foie gras for about one minute on each side while preparing the plates.  Serve the foie gras on top of the steak.