Parmesan Crusted, Stuffed Fillet Mignon

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It may have been snowing all day here yesterday in NY, but my kitchen was filled with the flavors of summer. We had (deep breath here...) Parmesan Crusted, goat cheese, basil, sundried tomato and lemon stuffed fillet mignon for dinner. As I write this, I wish I'd made extra so I could have it for lunch today...it was dreamy.

Ingredients

• 3 small filet mignon steaks, a good half inch thick or a little over
• 3 oz goat cheese mixed with 1 heaping tablespoon cream cheese
• 3 large basil leaves, minced
• 3 large sundried tomatoes, minced
• zest of one small lemon (half a teaspoon or so)
• salt and pepper
• 3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs mixed with 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan and 1/8 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
• Olive oil
• Egg wash - one egg beaten with half a cup of milk or half and half
• couple tablespoons flour for dredging

Details

Servings 3
Adapted from meatandpotatoesfoodie.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

Make your cheese stuffing by combining the goat cheese, cream cheese, lemon zest, sundried tomatoes, basil and a pinch of salt together with a fork. Set aside.

With a pairing knife, cut a slit in each filet, going along length-wise and stopping 1/4 inch before you cut through the other side. You want to make little 'pockets' to hold as much of the filling as possible. Stuff with the filling - as much as you can without it falling out when pick them up - about a tablespoon and a half - depending on the size of your fillets.

Continue the breading process by sprinkling some flour over your steaks, then rolling them around in it for a bit to give the entire exterior a light coating. If you're cooking right away, preheat your oven to 350 and heat up large nonstick skillet over medium high heat with a tablespoon of oil and enough olive oil to coat the entire bottom of the pan.

Set up your panko/parmesan/pepper bowl next to your egg wash bowl. When your oil is hot, begin breading by giving each fillet a quick dip in the egg wash (coating all sides) then the panko mixture, pressing in to get a good coating. (If you're not making right away, you can put them on a small cookie sheet sprinkled with more of the panko coating to rest on, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)

Add the steaks to your pan, getting a nice sear on each side - about 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown. Using tongs, GENTLY stand them on end to sear the narrow edges, turning as needed.

Transfer (careful not to squeeze out the cheese) to an aluminum lined baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for ten minutes (when clear juices begin to run out - it's time to take them out!)

Tip 1: You want your oil HOT, so give it a few minutes to heat up before adding the steaks. If it's not hot enough - you'll know. You won't get that hissing sound, and the meat will kind of sit there, soaking up all the oil getting weighed down and soggy, versus 'crisping' and getting that nice brown crust you want.

Tip 2: If making ahead, cover a small cookie sheet with two layers of foil. The first will hold the steaks in the fridge (which you discard after frying.) After frying, just put the steaks back on the same cookie sheet to put in the oven. Less washing up!