Pan Seared Filet Mignon
This pan seared filet mignon is the steak that I cook whenever I'm in the mood for the classic French bistro dish "steak frites," or seared steak with crispy fries. Served with a generous dollop of compound butter on top, this steak is practically effortless to prepare and thoroughly indulgent to eat. Perfect for either date night or a solo dinner splurge!
Servings 2 people
Equipment
- cast iron skillet
- instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
- 2 six ounce filet mignon steaks
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- small sprig fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Dry the steaks and liberally season them on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Let the steaks sit for at least 30 minutes, and up to an hour.
- Place a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add the peanut oil, and swirl it around. When the oil begins to shimmer and you can detect that first whisp of smoke, set the steaks in the skillet and reduce the heat to medium.
- Sear the steaks for about 5 minutes on the first side. Using a pair of tongs, flip the steaks over and sear them on the other side until they've reached the desired level of doneness. (Test them with an instant-read thermometer.)
- Remove the steaks from the skillet. Set them aside to rest for 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, prepare the compound butter. Add the chopped parsley and lemon juice to the butter, along with a little salt and pepper. Mix until the butter is evenly flecked with the parsley.
- Serve the steaks with a spoonful of the compound butter dolloped on top.