Recipe(tried): Bacon-wrapped Beef Fillet with Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes and Bourbon Pepper Cream Sauce

Bacon-wrapped Beef Fillet with Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Serves 4

Bourbon Pepper Cream Sauce

1 teaspoon olive oil
3 shallots, minced
1/2 cup veal stock or demi-glace
1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/3 cup bourbon
1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
Salt to taste

Bleu Cheese Mashed Potatoes

3 cups potatoes, boiled and mashed
1-1/2 cups bleu cheese, crumbled
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/2 cup unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Four 8-ounce USDA Prime steaks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 strips smoked bacon, preferably smoked with applewood

To make the sauce: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and saute the shallots until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in the veal stock, then the heavy cream. Blend well. Stir in the bourbon, black pepper, and salt, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or to desired thickness.

To make the potatoes: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mash together with a potato masher until blended and fluffy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.

To prepare the fillets: Season the fillets on all sides with salt and pepper to taste. Wrap two strips of bacon around the sides of each fillet and fasten with toothpicks. Heat the butter in a grill pan, saute pan, or skillet over high heat and add the fillets. Sear on all sides, about 1 minute per side. Reduce the heat to medium and finish cooking to taste on top of the stove. Or, place finish to taste in a preheated 425 F oven. The steaks may also be grilled to taste over a hot charcoal or gas grill.

To serve: Remove the toothpicks from the fillets. Place a mound of bleu cheese mashed potatoes in the center of each warmed serving plate. Place a fillet on each mound of potatoes. Spoon the sauce over the fillet and around the potatoes.