A Special Dinner

When I am looking for a couple of recipes to help me prepare a nice dinner (either for entertaining friends or just the two of us at home), I often turn to two old standbys. I love a good steak and I've always thought a good steak should be eaten plain-- with little extra sauce, broth or toppings added to it. I make an exception for Herbed Fillets with a Wine Reduction. This recipe takes a good fillet to a whole new level. It's easy to prepare and has a nice presentation.

New Potatoes with Green Beans and Dill Sauce are a nice accompaniment. It's a nice way to prepare both items and the dish has a nice light, fresh taste to it from the addition of the dill.

I made this meal, along with baklava for dessert, for Valentine's Day this year. My only mistake was overcooking the steaks a bit -- try to avoid that if possible.

Herbed Fillets with Wine Reduction

4 (6-ounce) beef fillets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons grainy mustard
1 cup herbs (such as sage, thyme, rosemary, basil and parsley), finely chopped
1/2 shallot, finely chopped
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon butter

Season fillets with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy saute pan over medium high heat. Coat edges of fillet with a thin layer of mustard, approximately 2 tablespoons. Dredge edges of filet in herbs to coat evenly. Sear fillet, 4 to 6 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the meat.
Remove cooked fillet. Lower heat to medium. Add shallots and saute until translucent.

Deglaze pan with white wine. Add 2 tablespoons mustard. Reduce wine to consistency of a rich sauce. If desired, remove the pan from the heat and whisk butter into the sauce. Serve immediately.

New Potatoes and Green Beans with Dill Sauce

2 cups water, divided
1 extra-large vegetable bouillon cube (like Knorr)
2 tablespoons flour
2 pounds small new potatoes, quartered
1/2 pound trimmed fresh green beans
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Bring 1 3/4 cups water and bouillon cube to a boil in a large skillet, stirring until cube dissolves; cool slightly. Whisk flour gradually into remaining 1/4 cup water; add to broth and cook over medium-high, whisking constantly, 2 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened. Reduce heat to medium; add potatoes and cook, covered, 15 minutes. Add beans and cook, covered, 8 minutes or until tender. Stir in pepper, dill and lemon juice. Serve immediately.