Pan-Seared Filet Mignon with Roasted Potatoes and Merlot Sauce

                A delicious recipe featuring pan-seared filet mignon served with roasted potatoes, garnished with pearl onions, and accompanied by a rich Merlot sauce.
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                Categories: main course dinner

                Ingredients

                • 12 assorted red and yellow pearl onions, unpeeled
                • 2 cups vegetable oil for frying onions
                • 4 large russet (baking) potatoes (about 2 pounds total)
                • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
                • Six 1 1/4-inch-thick filets mignons (about 3 pounds total)
                • About 2 cups Merlot sauce (recipe follows)
                • 1/4 cup water
                • 1/4 cup sugar
                • 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
                • 1 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 medium)
                • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
                • 2 cups Merlot or other dry red wine
                • 2 cups rich veal stock or demiglace
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                Instructions

                1. In a medium saucepan of salted boiling water, blanch onions for 3 minutes, or until barely tender, and drain in a colander. Peel skin away from each onion, keeping it attached at root end, and pat onions dry.
                2. In a heavy saucepan, heat 2 cups oil until a deep-fat thermometer registers 375°F and fry onions in 2 batches until crisp and brown, about 1 minute. Transfer onions as fried with a slotted spoon to paper towels and drain. Season onions with salt and pepper and cool. Onions may be made 8 hours ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature.
                3. Preheat oven to 425°F and oil 2 baking sheets.
                4. Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices and arrange in one layer on baking sheets. Lightly brush slices with some oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast potatoes in middle and lower thirds of oven until golden brown and tender, about 35 minutes, and keep warm.
                5. Pat filets mignons dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown filets on both sides, without crowding, about 5 minutes total. Transfer filets to a shallow baking pan and roast in middle of oven about 10 minutes for medium-rare.
                6. On each of 6 plates fan 3 potato slices and top with a filet. Drizzle filets with some sauce and garnish with onions. Serve remaining sauce on the side.
                7. In a small heavy saucepan, bring water with sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, without stirring, until a golden caramel. Remove pan from heat and carefully add vinegar down side of pan (caramel will steam and harden).
                8. Cook caramel over moderate heat, stirring until dissolved, about 3 minutes, and remove pan from heat.
                9. In a heavy saucepan, cook onion in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in wine and boil until mixture is reduced to about 1 cup, about 15 minutes. Stir in stock or demiglace and boil until mixture is reduced to about 2 cups, about 10 minutes.
                10. Remove pan from heat and stir in caramel. Pour sauce through a sieve into a bowl. Sauce may be made 2 days ahead, cooled completely, and chilled, covered. Reheat sauce before serving.