Cacio e Pepe Papardelle and Grilled Asparagus
Looking to impress your guests with a special dish for a family gathering or a birthday celebration? Indulge in the exquisite flavors of Filet Mignon topped with herb-infused butter and accompanied by sautéed mushrooms for added texture.
For a touch of Italian elegance, serve Cacio e Pepe with the Filet Mignon as a side dish. This was Emperor Augustus’ all-time favorite, and the extra wide egg noodles provide the perfect base for the cheese to delight your palate. For a complete homemade Pappardelle recipe, visit www.chefgiannicooks.com.
And of course, don’t forget to add vibrant grilled asparagus to your presentation. After all, you must eat your vegetables.
In ancient Rome, shepherds created a simple cuisine. They combined all three economical and non-perishable ingredients in one dish that was fast and easy to cook in their modest shelters. They used dry pasta, hard dry cheese, and peppercorns, which could be carried in their sacks for days without spoilage. When they arrived at the camp, they combined all three ingredients in a pot of water and boiled them until it created a creamy sauce with pasta, and the ground pepper enhanced all the flavors together.
“The reverse sear method for Filet Mignon ensures an evenly cooked steak with a juicy and tender consistency. Sous vide is a comparable method, but all the juices leak into the plastic bag during the initial cooking stage. You will notice that during the first cooking stage of the reverse sear, little to no juice exits the steak into the pan while it is in the oven. This method can be used not only with Filet Mignon, but also with New York Strip, Ribeye, and Porterhouse cuts of meat. After trying this method, you will likely prefer it over any other method for cooking a steak.”
This is one of the best in our repetoire; Filet Mignon w/ Herb infused butter, and sauteed Mushrooms
Ingredients
Filet Mignon
Herb Infused Butter
Sauteed Mushrooms
Grilled Asparagus
Cacio e Pepe
Instructions
- My preferred method for cooking any steak is the reverse sear. This method ensures an even cooking temperature and helps retain all the flavorful juices.
- Begin by lightly brushing the entire steak with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper to your liking. I personally prefer freshly ground peppercorns from a mortar and pestle, and kosher salt.
- Preheat your oven to 275-300 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the steaks in an oven-safe pan and cook until the internal temperature reaches 110 degrees Fahrenheit, which should take about 15-20 minutes.
- Preheat a temperature-resistant pan, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, sear the steak to your desired internal temperature:
Rare: 120 degrees Fahrenheit
Medium: 140 degrees Fahrenheit
Well Done: 160 degrees Fahrenheit - In a small saucepan Melt 1 stick of butter and add Rosemary and Thyme. Mix thoroughly
- Pour in a small bowl and refrigerate until hard again
- Use a melon ball tool or equivalent to create small ball to garnish steaks
- Slice mushrooms, and in a medium-sized saucepan saute mushrooms until cooked, but still firm
- Lightly brush asparagus spears with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste
- Grill in a pan or grill til cooked, but still firm
- Fill a large pot with salted water and cook pasta tl al dente
- Toast ground peppercorns in a dry large saucepan 2-3 minutes
- When pasta is ready add 1/2 Cup Pasta water to the Pepper
- Add the pasta to the pan and mix til the pasta is coated with Pepper
- Fold in the cheese 1/4 cup at a time until the pasta has a creamy costing of cheese and serve immediately while the cheese is still melted.