Recipe: Chef Pixie Sevilla's Pan-seared Tenderloin Steak with 'doneness' tips

MANILA, Philippines — How do you like your steak and what would you like to have it with?

Chef Pixie Sevilla suggests enjoying your steak with creamy Spinach Polenta to balance the nutrient consumption and topping it with Bleu Cheese Quenelle and Blueberry Sauce that go perfectly with it.

She shares the recipe of Pan-seared Tenderloin on Creamy Spinach Polenta and Topped with Bleu Cheese Quenelle and Blueberry Coulis, which she developed for the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council. 

Ingredients:

For the steaks:

2 pcs. beef tenderloin steaks, room temperature

2 tbsps. olive oil

2 tbsps. butter

Freshly cracked pepper and sea salt

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.  Preheat cast-iron pan to medium high heat.

2. Pat steaks dry with a paper towel and season each on both sides with salt and pepper.

3. Add olive oil and butter to the pan. Once melted and the pan is hot, sear each steak 2 minutes per side or until nicely browned.  Spoon the butter over the steaks as they cook.

4. Transfer cast-iron pan to preheated oven and continue to cook in the oven until your desired doneness is reached (about 4 to 8 minutes). Use a thermometer to check the doneness. Medium doneness should be 135°F to 140°F, Medium Rare: 125°F to 130°F, Medium Well: 145°F to 150°F.

5. Place the steak on creamy Spinach Polenta then top with Bleu Cheese Quenelle and Blueberry Coulis.

For the blueberry coulis or sauce:

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

1 /2 cup red wine

1-1/2 tsps. brown sugar

1/2 pc. shallot, finely minced

1 sprig rosemary

1-1/2 tsps. balsamic vinegar

Pinch of salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. Sauté shallots in the pan where beef was seared. Cook until softened forabout 1 to 2 minutes.

2. Add in the remaining ingredients.

3. Bring to a simmer, stirring continuously. Heat until sauce starts to thicken and become syrupy for about 5 to 10 minutes. It will continue to thicken as it cools.

4. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 2 to 4 minutes. Remove rosemary sprigs.

For the Bleu Cheese Quenelle:

3 oz. crumbled bleu cheese

1/4 cup cream cheese

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tbsps. heavy cream

Procedure:

1. Cream Bleu Cheese and cream cheese in the mixer of a food processor