TENDERLOIN STEAKS WITH STILTON AND WALNUT CRUST AND MUSHROOM CREAM SAUCE

Mushroom sauce

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

12 ounces (2 cups) Baby Bella or

cremini mushrooms, sliced

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup homemade or canned beef broth

½ cup heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Steaks

4 center-cut beef tenderloin steaks, about 6 ounces each Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 ounces crumbled Stilton cheese

¼ cup chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. For the sauce, melt the butter in a large sauté pan, and add the onions, garlic, mushrooms, and a pinch of salt. Sauté the vegetables until they start to soften. Stir in the flour and let cook in the butter for a minute. Add the beef broth and keep stirring until the sauce thickens. Add the cream and reduce slightly.

3. Remove the pan from the heat, and using a hand blender, blend the sauce. Once blended, return the pan to the heat. Adjust the consistency, and thin the sauce down with a little cream if it appears too thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep the sauce warm until the steaks are cooked. The sauce can be made up to a day ahead at this point and refrigerated. Just warm the sauce over a low flame.

4. For the steaks, let them come to room temperature. Season to taste with salt and pepper. In a separate sauté pan large enough to hold the steaks in one layer, add the olive oil and heat until hot but not smoking. Add the steaks and cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove the pan from the heat, top each steak with some of the Stilton and walnuts, and place the pan in the hot oven for 10 minutes, or until done.

5. Remove the pan from the oven, and transfer the steaks to a clean plate. Let them rest for at least 5 minutes. Check the sauce and warm if needed. Serve the steaks on a bed of the sauce, and garnish with finely chopped parsley over each steak.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS.