Fillet of Beef with Crispy Eggplant & Creamy Mushrooms

I had a couple of very nice fillets of beef  and some mushrooms on hand, and had a beautiful eggplant in the fridge.  What to do but combine them!  The crispy eggplant is deceptively easy.  And this mushroom concoction of mine is something I first came up with back in the early 80's.  I have used it many times, and it is a super accompaniment to beef.  If you want to get very elegant, you can stuff red bell peppers cups with this recipe, and serve it that way.  It makes a dramatic appearance to be sure.

Ingredients

For the steaks

4 one-inch thick tenderloin fillets (about 1/4 lb each)
2 tbsp butter
cracked black pepper
1/8 cup dry red wine

Ingredients

For the eggplant

1 tsp salt
1 medium eggplant, peeled and sliced to one-inch thick for at least four slices
4 tsp mayonaise
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (like, Kraft in the green can)
non-stick cooking spray (like, Pam)

Ingredients

For the mushrooms

1 medium shallot, finely diced
1 tsp garlic, finely minced
3 tbsp red bell pepper, finely minced
1 lb Crimini mushrooms, washed and sliced
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp paprika
2 tbsp dried parsley
salt & pepper
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil

The Recipes

First, prep the eggplant and the steaks:

Liberally salt each side of the eggplant slices and lay on a baking rack above paper towels.  The salt will leach some of the water out of the eggplant.  This is important in order to get the crispy outsides you're looking for.  Dab each side with paper towels occasionally to remove the water droplets that will appear on the surface.  Turn over occasionally a dab the other side.  Allow the salt to do its work for about twenty minutes, and then dust off the excess salt with a paper towel.  Let the slices rest on a paper towel while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Pepper both sides of the four fillets and allow the beef to come to room temperature while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Next, start the mushrooms:
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat until shimmering, and then saute the shallots, red bell pepper and garlic for 4-5 minutes.  Melt the butter in the skillet, and then add the mushrooms.  Season with salt and pepper, then stir well and frequently while the mushrooms cook.  Allow them to wilt thoroughly and slightly caramelize.

Meanwhile, continue with the eggplant:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slather mayonnaise on each side of the eggplant slices, and then, laying out the Parmesan cheese on a paper plate, thoroughly coat both sides by pressing the eggplant into the cheese.  Spray a cookie sheet or sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray and lay out the eggplant slices. Pop the eggplant in the middle rack of the oven and cook for fifteen minutes.  Turn the slices over, and continue cooking another fifteen minutes.

Next, finish the mushrooms:
Pour the heavy cream and red wine in with the mushrooms and continue cooking over medium high heat while the liquid reduces by half, about ten minutes.  Add the paprika and parsley, and stir to combine.  Take the mushrooms off the heat and stir in the sour cream. Mix well, and then cover until ready to serve, but leave the pan off the heat.  If you return the pan to the heat, the sour cream will curdle.

Finally, cook the steaks and finish the dish:

Melt butter in a skillet large enough to easily hold the four fillets of beef over medium high heat until smoking.  Put the fillets in the skillet and cook four minutes on each side for medium rare.  Remove the beef, and then de-glaze the pan with the red wine, scraping up the crusty bits.

Place a piece of the crispy eggplant on a plate and top with one of the steaks. Spoon over a teaspoon of the red wine from the de-glazed pan, and then place a liberal portion of the mushrooms on top.