Blue Cheese Crusted Filet Mignon with Port Wine Sauce

This is so delicious I've made it twice now... once as an appetizer with thin slices of beef, once as an entree.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 cup beef broth

3/4 cup port wine

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 steaks

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the garlic and thyme.  Cook until the garlic is tender, then stir in the beef broth and port wine.  Bring the sauce to a boil, and reduced to about 3/4 cup.  Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix the panko crumbs and blue cheese.  Drizzle the olive oil over the steaks and season with salt and pepper.  Now you have a choice... you can grill the steaks and finish them in the oven, or cook them entirely in the oven.  If you want to grill them, simply grill on high for about 2 minutes, then bring inside, coat with blue cheese mixture and transfer to the oven at 375 degrees for an additional 5 minutes.

Or, sear the steaks in olive oil in a skillet and then cook in the oven at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes, then remove, top with the blue cheese mixture, and broil for just a minute or two until the cheese melts.

Let the steaks rest for 5-10 minutes before serving with the warm port wine sauce.  I sauteed some mushrooms in the port wine sauce and served them on the side... yum!  Enjoy!