Filet Mignon with Morels in Truffle Butter and Tarragon Marsala Sauce

I have been insanely busy. I feel like all I do anymore is write papers! I had four papers due last week, and a huge one due yesterday that caused Mikey and me to have to postpone our Valentine's Day dinner to last night.

Every year for Valentine's Day I like to make Mikey and myself a gourmet dinner because I think that it's more special than going out to a restaurant and having someone else do the cooking. The meal always has to include: red meat, potatoes, and a chocolate dessert.
Last year I made:

Filet Mignon with Mushroom Brandy Sauce

with

Mashed Potatoes with Pancetta and Leeks

and

Dark Chocolate Souffles with Cardamom Creme Anglaise

It was a brilliant success if I do say so myself. HOWEVER, this year just may have topped it!

Today I'll be sharing with you the main course: Filet Mignon with Morels in Truffle Butter and Tarragon-Marsala Sauce.

In the next few days I will be posting the scrumptiously fresh salad I made, and the INCREDIBLE tarts I baked for dessert!

These steaks were some of the best I have ever had, and that is truly saying something because Mikey and I tend to treat ourselves to the multitude of Prime steakhouses in the Seattle area that charge nearly $100 per steak whenever we deserve a pat-on-the-back.

I'm not saying I'm the best filet cooker in Seattle by any means (though I think I did a pretty excellent job :P). I attribute the amazing flavor to the sauce. It was earthy and rich and absolutely to-die-for! I especially loved the spongy-ness of the morels; they absorbed the sauce beautifully.

I served the steaks with a very simple mashed potato: yukon gold potatoes, butter, cream, salt, and pepper. I think that a good steak sauce always needs a nice starch because I am someone who like to eat everything together. The perfect bite, for me, would be a scoop of sauce-soaked potatoes with a bite of steak on top!

Clearly this meal was not at all low-cal or healthy, but are holiday meals ever supposed to be? Don't answer that, haha. *I* think they shouldn't be!

 Filet Mignon with Morels in Truffle Butter and Tarragon Marsala Sauce

recipe adapted from here

ingredients:

• 1 1/2 ounces dried morels
• 2 6-to-8-ounce filets
• sea salt & freshly cracked pepper
• 2 tbsp truffle butter, divided
• 3/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon + more for garnish
• 1 tbsp dry Marsala

1. Place the dried morels in a 2-cup measuring cup and fill it with warm water to the 1 1/2 cup mark. Let the morels soak for about 20 minutes, until soft. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid. Cut the morels in half.
2. Pat the steaks dry and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Melt 1tablespoon of the truffle butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add in the steaks and cook to desired doneness (obviously medium-rare is the only doneness), about 4 minutes per side. It is VERY important that you don't move the steaks around while they cook or you won't get a nice sear.
3. Transfer the steak to a plate and tent with tinfoil to rest while you make the sauce.
4. Add the other tablespoon of truffle butter to the skillet. Add in the morels and green onions and saute until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add in the cream, tarragon, marsala, and reserved soaking liquid from the morels. Simmer until the sauce is lightly thickened (it will be quite runny still but that is what you want), about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve the sauce over the steaks, sprinkled with extra chopped tarragon for garnish.