Filet Mignon Appetizers with Tomato Chutney

We recently hosted a formal dinner partiy and I wanted every single dish to taste extraordinary, so I prepared over-the-top filet mignon appetizers to start the evening. I layered the bite-sized starters with puff pastry, Indian-inspired tomato chutney, ash-ripened chèvre and the pièce de résistance: a decadent slice of medium-rare filet mignon. 

My favorite part was to see the reactions of my guests during the party. You don't need to use a whole lot of the sophisticated meat; a thin, dainty slice of the steak is enough to impress your crowd. I sealed the deal with a good glass of red wine and carried on with the (I hoped!) eye-popping menu. 

Veal au Poivre Recipe

In my opinion, the best place to get tender cuts of veal in the US is a halal meat market. There seems to be more turnover of veal products in general. It’s cheaper than Whole Foods and fresher than the Asian market.

I bought boneless veal chops to make this steak au poivre recipe. It’s an easy dish to prepare, so the key is to prepare a flavorful sauce to accompany the meat. I made the sauce with green peppercorns and a splash of Cognac brandy. Instead of serving the veal au poivre with potatoes, I paired it with a tasty pumpkin and sweet rice purée. It’s a nice change of pace from your average steak and potatoes dish!

Note: You can catch me live today on Blog Talk Radio. I'll be on Real Talk with Lee, chatting about my new cookbook "Banh Mi" Wednesday, July 17^th at 7:00 p.m EST. I hope you all can tune in for the interview!

Sirloin Steak with Artichoke Butter

Here in the Bay Area, the weather has been gorgeous. I lit up my grill for the first time this season and made my favorite meal: top sirloin steak that I garnished with a dollop of artichoke butter, marinated artichokes capellini pasta and grilled artichokes.  

I cooked the steak a la plancha by placing a cast iron griddle over the charcoal grill. The hot plancha created a nice crust around the steaks, which I had marinated in soy sauce to tenderize. Simple, juicy and delicious!