From A Past Edition Of The New Orleans Menu Daily By Tom Fitzmorris Hot Garlic And Tequila Filets Mignon Really, really spicy, this is a unique dish for times when you want a steak, but not plain old. Stuffing: 2 heads garlic 1 Tbs. olive oil 2 jalapeno peppers 2 Anaheim chile pepper 3 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves only 6 medium leaves fresh basil 4 filet mignons from the big end of the loin, about 1 1/2 inches thick 2 Tbs. butter Salt 1 1/2 oz. aged tequila 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. 1. Cut off the top of the garlic heads, exposing the meat of the cloves. Pour the olive oil into a puddle on a baking pan, and set the garlic heads cut side down on top of the oil. Bake for one hour, or until the cloves are quite soft and browned. 2. Roast the peppers under a broiler, turning them until the outsides are charred and blistered. Let the peppers cool until you can handle them. Wear plastic gloves. Peel away the skin, and open the peppers. Remove the seeds and the membrane inside. Rinse the peppers in hot water. Cut them into thin strips about an inch long. 3. When the garlic is roasted, remove and peel the cloves (you can squeeze them out, usually). Put them into a food processor bowl with a little salt, the parsley and basil, and about a tablespoon of the peppers. Process into a rough paste. 4. Cut slits in the sides of all the filets. Using a spoon, stuff with about a tablespoon of the garlic mixture. Season the filets on the outside with salt. 5. Heat the butter in a heavy skillet and pan-broil the steaks over high heat. They will first stick to the pan then almost break away; that's the time to turn them (once). 6. When the steaks are done, lower the heat and add the tequila to the pan. Bring to a boil and whisk to dissolve the browned bits in the bottom of the pan. When the liquid is two-thirds boiled away, add the cream, the remaining strips of jalapeno and chile pepper, and salt to taste. Bring to a boil and reduce by one-third, then pour over the steaks on their serving plates. Serves four. Click here for an index of recipes from past editions. © 2008 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com