This dish started off as a quest to do horseradish encrusted filet but grew into something a wee bit different – I give you Horseradish-Garlic topped Filet with and Braised Mushrooms. It sounds ostentatious but it isn’t.

Really.

List-o-ingredients (Steak/Steak Topping)

2 Filets – 6 to 8 oz

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp minced horseradish (fresh or bottled – more on that at the end of the post)

1 cup of breadcrumbs

A few Parsley Leafs, chopped

1/2 stick of butter, soft

1/4 cup parmesan-reggiano

Salt and Pepper to taste

You’ll:

1) Mix all of your topping ingredients together. Your butter should be soft but not melted which will result in a clumping consistency of all ingredients.

2) Cook your filet to the desired temperature

3) Remove filet from heat, place enough horseradish-garlic topping to cover surface area of the filet

4) Broil on a high flame until the topping begins to bubble/turn brown

Braised Mushrooms

1) Package of Cremini mushrooms, whole

2) 1 tbsp of butter

3) 1/4 cup red wine (I used Merlot as it tends to go well with grilled meat)

The ‘braising’ is rather simple, just toss your mushrooms in a frying pan with the butter and quickly brown, then add the red wine. Stir and cook until the wine begins to thicken. Remember to do this over a medium to medium/low heat to keep the mushrooms firm. No one likes over cooked mushrooms!

Horseradish-Garlic topped filet with braised mushrooms

OH SO VERY GOOD.

My concern was the fresh horseradish as going to overwhelm the dish, however, I found that adding an equal part of garlic balanced it out, allowing for the taste to come through without making the entire experience a wasabi-esque nightmare.

This topping could also become the base for so many other variations – crab, blue cheese first come to mind… this topping is easily a steak house favorite and I cannot wait to make it again.

Now, I noted that one could used fresh or horseradish. I decide to use fresh as I had the ability to control the overall flavor. A pre-bottled option would have added other flavors I may not have been shooting for (too salty, too strong for example). However, in chopping up my own horseradish I came to the conclusion that mother nature has a sense of humor.

Yep. Just look at this…

Horseradish - Mother Nature has a sense of humor

As always, enjoy!