It’s time for another recipe from last week’s cooking class at Voila! in Del Mar, courtesy of chef/instructor Nadia Frigeri.

Last week, I shared Nadia’s fantastic recipe for Risotto with Soave or Pinot Grigio Wine, Asparagus, and Shrimp. As you can tell, Nadia puts a lot of detail and quality into her recipes. Today’s Filet Mignon recipe is no different.

I never considered adding halved grapes to a wine sauce before, but doesn’t it make perfect sense? Also, I make polenta all the time, but I never thought to put whole corn into the dish. Sometimes you just need to have the obvious pointed out to you, I guess.

When Nadia served the filet on polenta to our class, a silence quickly spread through our seats. It’s hard to find words when you are savoring a perfectly cooked piece of steak with a uniquely fruity and sublime grape sauce. The creamy, cheesy polenta was the perfect bed for the juicy steak. The flavors of the polenta were not strong or overwhelming, just the right amount of texture and taste to complement the filet.

Now that I think about it, the polenta would certainly be delicious on its own. Can you tell I love polenta?

Only for Nadia would I eat such a red, rare steak. After many years as a vegetarian (it’s a long story for another day!) I still can’t quite bring myself to eat ruby red steak, although I will happily eat Kobe Beef Sashimi at Nobu. But I did eat very rare steak at Nadia’s class and I think I may have turned over a new leaf. My husband, the anti-vegetarian, is so pleased! He says, “Thank you, Nadia!”

Don’t miss the end of this post for all of Nadia’s priceless tips!

Filet Mignon with Cabernet Wine Sauce and Grapes on Polenta
(Filetto di Manzo al Vino Rosso)
Courtesy of Nadia Frigeri

Serves 8

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
8- 1 to 1.5-inch thick filet mignons
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In large skillet heat the oil, add filet mignon and brown both sides. Season with salt and pepper and transfer skillet to a preheated oven at 400F. Cook until the meat is cooked to the desired doneness. Remove from oven and season lightly with salt and pepper.

2 cups Cabernet Sauvignon wine
1 cup chicken stock
½ cup chopped green onions
2 garlic cloves, peeled
8 oz. black or red grapes, halved
2 T unsalted butter
2 t cornstarch
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a medium saucepan combine the wine, stock, green onions, and garlic. Simmer for 10 minutes or until reduced by half. Mix the cornstarch and butter together in a little dish. Add the grapes, cornstarch/butter mixture, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Corn-Herb Polenta

¼ t extra virgin olive oil
½ cup finely chopped shallots or green onions (white and pale green parts only)
2 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
1 T chopped parsley
4 cups water or broth
1 cup corn meal
1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned – optional)
1 T salt
Grated parmesan cheese (optional)

In large casserole heat oil and add shallots with garlic, parsley, and green onions. Saute about 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add water, bring to boil, add salt and reduce heat.
Add cornmeal gradually, whisking constantly. Cook, stirring frequently, about 15-20 minutes or longer. Add corn kernels during cooking. Stir in grated cheese. Remove cornmeal mixture from pan and pour into oiled glass dish.

Bits of wisdom from Nadia:

• When you’re smashing or chopping garlic, add salt so it doesn’t stick to the knife.
• Nadia cooked the grape sauce in the same pan that the filets were in, adding a bit of oil.
• In class, Nadia cooked the polenta for an hour. She says that’s fine and there will be no harm done.
• Instead of or in addition to the corn, you could add chopped spinach leaves to the polenta. Yum!
• Nadia recommends a demi-glace classic French chicken stock paste by Aromont. She says it’s as good as homemade stock. You can buy it at Voila! or other specialty stores. I haven’t tried this product yet, but I am curious.
• For a lovely presentation, put the warm polenta into lightly oiled ramekins and let it set to the mold.
• Nadia recommends serving it with a Chianti, like 2003 bottle that you can find at Trader Joe’s or Barron’s.

Cheers!