Tournedos de la Foret (Filet Mignons With Morels)

Name: Tournedos de la Foret (Filet Mignons With Morels)
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: french
Ingredients: 4 filet mignons, each about 1 1/2 inches thick, about 1 1/4 pounds; Salt to taste if desired; Freshly ground pepper to taste; 3/4 cup dried morels, about 1 ounce; 1 tablespoon corn, peanut or vegetable oil; 4 tablespoons butter; 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots; 1/4 cup dry red wine; 1/4 cup rich beef broth; 2 tablespoons Cognac, optional; 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

By Craig Claiborne

Updated May 15, 2020

Total Time: 45 minutes
Rating: 4(83)
Comments: Read comments

Craig Claiborne brought this fine recipe to The Times in 1983. Make it in late spring, when morels are in season, or use another kind of wild mushroom. As Claiborne and his contemporary Pierre Franey found when researching the article that accompanied this recipe, "with one exception, wild mushrooms can be successfully interchanged from recipe to recipe or mixed together." Swap in shiitakes or porcinis, chanterelles or cepes, but avoid enoki, which are too different texturally from its fellow wild mushrooms.

Featured in: RECIPES FOR MORELS, ENOKIS, SHIITAKES

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

4filet mignons, each about 1½ inches thick, about 1¼ pounds
Salt to taste if desired
Freshly ground pepper to taste
¾cup dried morels, about 1 ounce
1tablespoon corn, peanut or vegetable oil
4tablespoons butter
2tablespoons finely chopped shallots
¼cup dry red wine
¼cup rich beef broth
2tablespoons Cognac, optional
2tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper and set aside.
Step 2
Put dried morels in mixing bowl and add warm water to cover. Let stand 30 minutes or longer. Drain.
Step 3
Heat heavy skillet and add oil. When quite hot add fillets. Cook about 3 minutes on one side until browned. Turn and continue cooking about 7 minutes on second side.
Step 4
Transfer fillets to a warm serving dish.
Step 5
Pour off all fat from skillet. Add 2 tablespoons of butter, shallots and drained morels. Cook briefly, stirring, and add wine. Cook down about 1 minute over high heat and add beef broth. Cook down briefly and add Cognac. Heat sauce and swirl in remaining butter. Pour sauce over beef and garnish with chopped parsley.