Valentine's Dinner - Tournedos Rossini

I ate this entree on my first trip to France a few years ago.  We ate at the restaurant of the famous chef, Paul Bocuse, in Lyon France and got to meet him as well.   That dinner that night was the most perfectly elegant and superb meal I have ever eaten.  Below is my recreation of the entree.

Two 6-oz prime filet steaks, at room temperature

Two 2-oz slices foiegras (use real foils gras, not terrine or mousse)

1/2 ounce fresh black truffle (thinly shaved)

1 cup veal stock, 

1 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon truffle oil

1/2 cup minced shallots

1/2 cup Madera wine

1 small bay leaf

3 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 for the sauce, 2 for garnish

1/2 teaspoon white truffle balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and diced

2 teaspoons butter to cook steak

Cauliflower or celery root purée or 2 slices toasted brioche

Instructions:

Prepare the stock from concentrate.  If serving the dish with vegetable puree, prepare the puree prior to making the sauce and keep warm or gently reheat at serving time.

To make the sauce, melt a tablespoon of butter in a small saucepan. Add the shallots and cook over low heat until translucent, about 3 – 5 minutes, add truffle oil  Add the Madera wine to the shallots and cook until the wine is reduced by half and is somewhat thickened.  Add the bay leaf, thyme, and veal stock and cook until reduced by half again, leaving about 3/4 cup of sauce in the pan.  Add the balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.  Slice the black truffle thinly with a truffle shaver or sharp knife and set aside.  Whisk in the cold, cubed butter to the sauce a few pieces at a time. When the butter has been incorporated into the sauce, add the truffle slices.  Keep the sauce warm over a double boiler for at least 30 minutes, allowing the black truffle flavor to permeate the sauce. Alternatively, allow the sauce to sit, covered, for 30 minutes, then gently reheat when ready to serve the dish.

Heat a frying pan to medium. Melt 2 teaspoons butter in the pan. Sprinkle Beef filet with sea salt and pepper.  Add the steaks to the pan and cook on each side about 2 minutes or until the steaks are rare.  Set aside and cover with foil.

Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the foie gras. Sear the foie gras in a frying pan over medium heat, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side.  Set foie gras on a paper towel.

To serve, place about 1/2 cup vegetable puree in the middle of a heated plate. Or use brioche. Place the filet on top of the puree and top the filet with a piece of seared foie gras.  Spoon the warm sauce and black truffles over the foie gras and steak, allowing a pool of sauce to remain in the plate.  Garnish with fresh thyme.  Serve with a heart red burgundy.