Chef Tony's Beef Filet with Vodka Butter
- Kimberly di Bonaventura
- Jan 26, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 12, 2022
Chef Tony's recipe for the experienced cook.

Beef Filet with Vodka Butter Poached Lobster Seared Foie-Gras in a Pomegranate reduction sauce
Ingredients
- 4 Center cut Beef Filet Mignon around 6-7 OZ each 
- 2 Small Main Lobster 
- 0.5 LB Fresh Foie-Grass 
- 2 Large Pomegranates 
- Butter 1LB 
- Clarified Butter 4 OZ 
- 1\2 bottle white wine 
- 4 Oz of Vodka 
- 8 OZ White Wine vinegar 
- 1 Lemon 
- Herbs and Aromas: Garlic, Onions, Celery, Carrots, Bay Leaf, Thyme and Rosemary. 
Directions
Steaming the Lobster in a Curt-Bouillon
- In a large pot, add cold water, vinegar, white wine, 1 Celery stalk, 1 small carrot, 1 small onion cut in 1\2, 1 lemon cut into rings, a bay leaf, salt, peppercorn. 
- Bring to boil and simmer it for a least 45 minutes to 1 hour. 
- When the Court-Bouillon is ready, gently put the live lobster in it for 3-5 minutes depend on the size. For a small 1LB lobster, 3 minutes should be enough. 
- Prepare an iced water batch, after 3 minutes of cooking, shock the lobster in the batch. At this point, it is ready to be cleaned and butter poached. 
- Tip #1: Vinegar and Lemon keep the Lobsters nice white and make the Lobster’s easier to take out of the shell. 
- Tip #2: Before Boiling the lobster keep them calm, cold and moist with a towel, the meat will remain softer 
Butter Poached Lobster
- In a small saucer add 1 lb of butter, 4 oz of Vodka, 1 oz of water, Salt Pepper to taste, let it simmer for 10-15 minutes and mix until it is nice creamy. 
- Add the Lobster and let it simmer until cooked to perfection. 
- Tip #1: To keep the Lobster nice and soft always cook at a low temperature. 
- Tip #2: Lobster, love and butter together get an incredible flavor. 
Pomegranate Reduction
- Clean the pomegranates, keep the nicest seeds for decoration. Lightly blend the rest and stain into a chinois. Put the juice in a saucepan and let it reduce until caramelized, which will be the consistency of syrup. 
- Tip #1: To clean the pomegranates, cut the pomegranates in half, tap the back of the fruit with a spoon so the seeds come out easily. 
- Tip #2: To check for the perfect consistency of the pomegranate reduction, put a couple of drops of the sauce on a cold plate, then hold it vertically to check the consistency. 
Pan Sauteed Filet Mignon and Foie-Gras
- Take the filet mignon, season it with salt and pepper. 
- Put the clarified butter in a hot pan. 
- Sear one side for at least 3-4 minutes – on a very high heat. 
- Flip it over and do the same. 
- Remove the fillet from the pan and place it on a plate to rest for 4-5 minutes. 
- Throw the fat away from the pan. 
- Season the foie-gras with salt and pepper. 
- Sear in the same pan that you used for the fillet – no oil – just its own fat. 
- Sear it until golden brown – searing times depend on the size. 
- Tip #1: For the seasoning always use kosher salt – it does not take the juice out of the meat. 
- Tip #2: To get a nice searing use a thick heavy pan – A copper pan or cast iron skillet is best. 
Compose the Plate
- To finish the cooking to your desired temperature, place the filet mignon in a hot oven. If you have a salamander, this would work best. 
- Place the filet on a plate. 
- Place the seared foie-gras on top of the lobster. 
- Place the butter poached lobster on top of the filet. 
- Drizzle it with the pomegranate reduction and use a few pomegranate seeds to decorate the plate. 
- Cut the boneless short ribs in 4 pieces. 
- Season it then dust with flour. 
- In a large brazier, heat up the Olive Oil; butter and start frying the short ribs dusted with flour. 
- Cook until nice and brown. 
- Add the celery, carrots and onion. 
- Braise vegetables and the ribs, high heat, for 5-10 mins. 
- Add the bottle of Barolo wine, then deglaze by cooking on high for 5 minutes, to burn off the alcohol. 
- Add the chicken stock and tomato paste. 
- Cover and put in an oven at 275 degrees for 2.5/3 hours. 
- Poke the short ribs, make sure they are soft and tender and knives go through without resistance. 
- Serve on a bed of mashed potatoes with the vegetable sauce on top. 









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