Recommended cheese for filet mignon (italian cuisine)

ChefBoyRmee · #1 10-01-2007, 10:09 PM

Im not a cheese expert and im trying to make a dish served at this italian restaurant my family and I go to.The dish is called "filet al la mode"Which is basicly two filet mignons ontop a bed of sauteed red potatoes,red onions,and portabella mushrooms, and topped with jumbo lump crabmeat with a marsala and rosemary wine reduction poured over top.But in between the filets they put a layer of "cheese spread" in and its the only part of the dish i cant figure out. What makes this dish so good is how well balanced the flavors are, and i hate to ruin it with the wrong type of cheese.Especially how expensive it is to make the dish.All i have to go on is the ingredients i listed, and that all their dishes are based on northern and southern italian cuisine.

Also its a very creamy cheese like cream cheese texture,and its not melted.It does have color but im not sure if it was herbs or possibly a blue cheese like gorganzola.If it was a blue cheese it was very mild since i dont recall it tasting like a blue cheese.

cwshields · #2 10-01-2007, 10:26 PM

Might be Gorgonzola Dolce...a milder sweeter version of Gorgonzola

ChefBoyRmee · #3 10-01-2007, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwshields

Might be Gorgonzola Dolce...a milder sweeter version of Gorgonzola

I'll have to buy some and taste it first.Last time i ordered the dish i asked what kind of cheese it was, but i cant remember, which sucks because the dish is not on the menu and is a special that they only serve a few times a month.Ontop of that they sell out very quickly when they have it (yeah its that good)

Im not a big fan of blue cheese, and only use it on buffalo wings so if it was a bluew cheese it was very very mild.

shel · #4 10-01-2007, 11:21 PM

Perhaps it's cambozola - a very mild blue, a cross between camembert and gorgonzola dolce, and it's quite spreadable. In any case, it sounds like it may be an excellent choice for the dish.

Shel

tessa · #5 10-02-2007, 01:13 AM

was still in one peice , if it was a slice it might have been haloumi which is a cheese that is always served cooked

deltadoc · #6 10-02-2007, 06:54 AM

Having not seen the dish, and not knowing for sure what color the cheese was, it might have been a Boursin cheese. It melts readily and looks a bit like what you describe. A local Italian restaurant serves filet mignon with Boursin cheese and it is tasty, yet mild in flavor.

doc

ChefBoyRmee · #7 10-02-2007, 11:46 AM

No it was not melted.They lay down one filet, then spread this cheese over the filet (like spreading cream cheese on a bagel)then lay another filet ontop,then top that with a 4 oz of jumbo lump crabmeat, then pour the marsala and rosemary reduction over the top....my mouth is watering just thinking about it..lol

So basicly the cheese is spread on cold and if any melting occurs its from the hot filets inbetween.

It was definitly not in one piece, or a slice of cheese.

tessa · #8 10-02-2007, 01:06 PM

or a warmed up bocconcini.... would they tell you what the cheese was if youu went back to the restaurant and asked them. Just rave on to them how much you loved it etc and t hat you were really curious trying to work out what the cheese was

panini · #9 10-02-2007, 01:36 PM

Stracchino and Taleggio are readily available to restaurants and accept shellfish very well.

ChefBoyRmee · #10 10-03-2007, 01:40 PM

Deltadoc was right, it was boursin garlic & fine herb cheese.

The dish turned out alright, but it was really hard to make this dish with only one stovetop/oven.I should have went with my instinct and used my grill, instead i went for the pan sear/oven roast method, which made the filets tender, but lacked taste.Also the marsala reduction needed to be thickened more.And although the marsala reductions taste was right on the money, it wasnt as bold as it taste at the restaurant.I need to figure out how to bring out those flavors more.

Just wanted to give you all and update and say thanks for the help.Ironicly the one ingredient i wasnt sure of, and thought would ruin the dish, ended up being the one that saved the dish from complete disaster.

abefroman · #11 10-03-2007, 04:58 PM

I think it was marsecarpone.

Before your order next time, ask the waiter what kind of cheese is on it, like your not sure if you will like it and might not order it if you don't like the cheese.

ChefBoyRmee · #12 10-08-2007, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abefroman

I think it was marsecarpone.

Before your order next time, ask the waiter what kind of cheese is on it, like your not sure if you will like it and might not order it if you don't like the cheese.

No it was boursin garlic & fine herb.They use so many different types of cheeses for their dishes that the waiter personally asked the chef.

Funny thing is we had left overs so i reheated them on a oven safe plate in the oven @ 350 for 15 minutes and the dish actually turned out better.I guess letting the flavors soak together overnight and cook together did the trick.So i think next time i make it im gonna pan sear the filets ahead of time, and let everything soak together for a few hours in the fridge before cooking in the oven.