Cocoa-Coffee Crusted Filet Mignon

Are reservations hard to come by or are you opting for reservations at your dining room table for Valentine’s Day 2021? We’re here to help impress your significate other with a dinner that will have them wondering if you hired a chef.

Filet Mignon with a Cocoa-Coffee Crust is a guaranteed showstopper of an entrée that pairs perfectly with scalloped potatoes, grilled asparagus and your favorite cabernet or merlot. We know what you are thinking. Showstopper dinners mean pain staking attentive hours spent in the kitchen. You are in luck! This is just the recipe for a romantic dinner in five steps, leaving you plenty of time to still get ready.

Let’s get started on crafting the perfect Valentine’s Day Dinner.

Ingredients

1              Beef Tenderloin, 3-4 pounds trimmed

2 Tbsp   Ground Coffee

2 tsp      Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 tsp      Garlic, granulated

1 Tbsp   Brown Sugar

2 Tbsp   Olive Oil

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to Taste    

Preparation

1. Take the filets out of the refrigerator one hour before you plan to cook it and season with salt and pepper

2. Preheat a large cast iron skillet on medium-high heat

3. In a mixing bowl, combine the coffee, cocoa, brown sugar, garlic, salt and pepper, and mix well. Now rub all filets well with mixture.

4. Place the olive oil in the heated skillet. When it shimmers, add the filets. The goal is to get a good sear on all sides to lock-in all the juices, which takes about three to four minutes a side. Once seared, remove meat from the skillet to rest for a couple minutes. Resting the filets will help the juices to stay inside and not run out after cutting into the meat. If you like your steak medium-rare to medium, you are ready to plate with your desired side dish and serve.

5. If you prefer your steak finished more well than medium, you can place the filet into the oven to desired temperature. Placing in the oven instead of the skillet will keep the seared finish to remain and not become overdone.

Now that you’ve got the main dish all set, tackle dessert. We’ve got some great recipes for any chocolate lover: Chocolate Caramel Bark, Chocolate Truffles, Chocolate Salted Tarts. Did your filet come out perfect or were you left thinking, take two? We bet it was perfect and can’t wait to hear about it. Share photos of your creations on social media with #FourWindsCasino or by emailing photos to social@fourwindscasino.com.