Chef Eric DeGroot, from Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater, joined us in the Great Day Kitchen Tuesday morning to prepare dishes off the menu for their latest production of “The Sound of Music.”
Grilled Filet Mignon with Local Cherry-Balsamic Compound Butter
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Ingredients
6 (6-ounce) filet mignon steaks
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry hibiscus flowers
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup port wine
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1 cup pitted, chopped cherries
½ pound softened unsalted butter (2 sticks)
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
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Instructions
Heat up a barbeque or indoor grill pan to medium high heat. Rub filets with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Grill filets on both sides (about 3 minutes per side for medium rare) till desired doneness. Keep in mind that the filets will continue to cook slightly off the grill. Place pats of compound butter over the filets and tent with foil.
For the Cherry-Balsamic Compound Butter
Over low heat in a medium saucepan, reduce hibiscus, port wine, balsamic vinegar and sugar. Let steep and reduce slightly till the hibiscus flowers release their flavor and soften up. Strain reduction through a fine mesh strainer into another saucepan. Put reduction back on stove, add the shallots and continue to reduce over low heat till slightly syrupy. Take reduction off heat and add the chopped cherries. Let cool completely.
In a bowl, whisk together the soft butter with the cooled cherry mixture till well incorporated. Season the compound butter with salt and pepper at this point. Roll tightly in plastic wrap or parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use.
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Buttermilk and Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta With Strawberry Compote
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Ingredients
1 ½ cup heavy cream
¾ cup sugar
3 vanilla beans, halved lengthwise and seeds scraped out
2 ½ cups buttermilk
3 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
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Instructions
Stir cream, sugar and vanilla seeds in a heavy medium sized saucepan. Bring to a light boil over medium heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Meanwhile, pour buttermilk in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over buttermilk and let stand to soften, about 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk warm vanilla cream mix into buttermilk gelatin mixture. Whisk rapidly until the gelatin is fully dissolved. Pour into ramekins and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours. The panna cotta will have the smoothest texture if served within 6 to 12 hours.
To serve, place each ramekin briefly on a ½ inch of hot water, then slide a knife cleanly around the edge. Invert on to a serving plate, tapping the ramekin gently for a minute to give the panna cotta a chance to slide out. Decoratively arrange strawberry compote around panna cotta and serve.
Strawberry compote:
2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced lengthwise
Zest and juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons sugar
Combine ingredients together in mixing bowl and toss well until sugar is dissolved. Let strawberries sit in refrigerator for a few hours to marinate.
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