Filet Mignon with Parsnip Puree

Parsnips are underrated in the root vegetable world. While their flavor might seem

unique and somewhat strange to the uninitiated, parsnips are quite delicious,

especially if you cook them in heavy cream and butter. I learned this technique

from a kitchen in Tennessee, where we would make this fresh for each day where

it was on the menu.

Some of the parsnip cooking liquid is used to puree the parsnips. I would take all

of the remaining cooking liquid that was leftover and drink it.

For this entrée, a perfect tenderloin fillet is served with a creamy parsnip puree and

some roasted harissa-spiced broccoli.

The following recipe serves four people, with some leftover parsnip puree.

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Filet Mignon with Parsnip Puree

Parsnips are underrated in the root vegetable world. While their flavor might seem

unique and somewhat strange to the uninitiated, parsnips are quite delicious,

especially if you cook them in heavy cream and butter. I learned this technique

from a kitchen in Tennessee, where we would make this fresh for each day where

it was on the menu.

Some of the parsnip cooking liquid is used to puree the parsnips. I would take all

of the remaining cooking liquid that was leftover and drink it.

For this entrée, a perfect tenderloin fillet is served with a creamy parsnip puree and

some roasted harissa-spiced broccoli.

The following recipe serves four people, with some leftover parsnip puree.

Ingredients

• 32 oz 2 lbs parsnips, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups whole milk
• ½ tsp Kosher salt
• ¼ tsp freshly-ground black pepper
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1 head broccoli (cut into florets)
• 1 Tbsp harissa paste
• 2 tsp sunflower seed oil (for the broccoli)
• 4 center-cut beef tenderloin fillets
• 1 tsp Kosher salt (for salting the beef)
• 1 Tbsp sunflower seed oil (for cooking the beef)
• 1 Tbsp butter (for topping the steak)

Instructions 

• Preheat your oven to 450˚F.
• Cut the parsnips into bite-sized pieces, and add them to a medium-sized soup pot with enough heavy cream and whole milk to cover.
• Add a pinch of Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, and bring the contents to a gentle simmer.
• *Be careful to watch your milk and heavy cream as they come up to temperature,
• as they have a tendency to boil over!
• When the liquid is at a simmer, reduce the heat to low and slowly cook the parsnips until they are completely tender, or about 30 minutes.
• When the parsnips are cooked, blend them with a few spoonfuls of the liquid that they cooked in (not all of the liquid), until you reach a smooth consistency.
• *You can also use a potato masher.
• Add the butter, and mix until smooth.
• If you want an even smoother puree, pass the mixture through a fine mesh strainer.
• Taste the parsnip puree, and season with Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, if desired.
• Set the parsnip puree aside for when you are ready to serve.
• While the parsnips are cooking, coat the broccoli florets in a mixture of prepared harissa spice paste and sunflower seed oil.
• Roast the harissa-spiced broccoli at 450˚F for roughly 15 minutes.
• Remove the broccoli from the oven when cooked.
• For your steaks, allow them to come to room temperature before cooking.
• Salt the steaks on all sides, and sear over high heat in a heavy-bottomed sauté pan
• with sunflower seed oil until browned on both sides.
• Remove the steaks from the pan, and top with a small pat of butter.
• Serve the steaks with the parsnip puree and the harissa-spiced broccoli.

Notes

You can make the parsnip puree in advance, and warm it up for service. The
broccoli and steak are best eaten right after they are cooked, although any leftovers can be used to serve in a salad the following day.