Steak - Rosemary-Speared Fillets with Red Wine Butter Sauce

By unionmaid

Make these steaks the centerpiece of a quick elegant meal. You'll need sturdy sprigs of rosemary to act as skewers, which flavor the meat and look great on the plate.

Ingredients

• Steak House Rub:
• 4 beef tenderloin fillet steaks 1-1/2 to 2 inches thick
• 5 long sturdy sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 c. steak rub see below (or any steak rub of your choice)
• 3/4 c. full-bodied red wine
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 3/4 c. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 teaspoons cumin seed
• 2 teaspoons coriander seed
• 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons cardamom seeds (removed from about 20 green pods)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• Two 3-inch cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces with a hammer
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon course salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Rub:

Heat all the spices in a dry medium skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant and toasted, 2 - 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cool for 5 minutes. Ground the toasted spices in a spice grinder until fairly fine, like cornmeal. Mix in the salt and sugar. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Makes about 1/4 cup.

Steak:

Cut a narrow slit from one side of each steak all the way through with a thin, sharp knife. Spear each fillet with a sprig of rosemary, inserting the rosemary, tough end first, into the slit. Reserve the remaining rosemary sprig. Coat the steaks with 1 tablespoon of the rub. Let stand at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes.

Light a grill for bi-level high and medium-low het, about 325 degrees, Brush the grill grate and coat with oil. Grill the steaks directly over high heat until grill-marked, 2 - 3 minutes per side. Reduce the heat to medium-low on a gas grill or move the steaks to the low-heat area on a charcoal or wood grill. Cover and grill for another 3 - 4 minutes per side for medium-rare to medium done (an internal temperature of 135 to 145). Remove to warm plates and cover with foil to keep warm for 5 minutes.

While the steak cooks, combine the wine, vinegar, shallot, and remaining 1 tablespoon rub in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat slightly and simmer vigorously until the liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons in volume, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, finely chop the leaves from the remaining sprig of rosemary and add to the pan along with the honey. When the liquid is reduced, whisk in the butter, apiece or two at a time, until incorporated. Serve with the steaks.