Focus on food: March 19, 2007

Fresh Grilled Steak in Red Wine

Filet Mignon or Tenderloin is the ultimate choice among steaks. Although incredibly tender, this cut does lack a little in the flavor category. The simple elegance of this marinade along with the natural flavor of a hardwood grill is sure to win the hearts of the most discriminating beef eaters. Serve with a full bodied red wine such as a Spellbound 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon.

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Ingredients:
• 4- 6 oz fillet steaks, each about 1 1/2" thick
• 4 shallots
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup fine extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups dry red wine
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs

Directions:
• Prepare your charcoal fire in the grill. Place the fillets in a non-aluminum bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Let the mixture sit at room temperature, turning once, while the coals are heating.

• When the coals are hot, drain the steaks, reserving the marinade, and ear them for two minutes on each side. Baste the steaks with the marinade, cover the grill, partially open the vents and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. A total cooking time of 7-8 minutes will yield a medium rare steak.

• Remove the steaks from the grill to a serving dish and loosely cover them to keep the steaks warm. Pour the remaining marinade into a saucepan and cook over medium high heat for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce has been reduced and thickened.

• Pour a small amount of the sauce on the plate and place each steak on top of the sauce. Serve with oven roasted potatoes and a fresh summer salad.

Spellbound 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon:
Spellbound 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon exemplifies lush textures and bold dark fruit flavors with a slight hint of oak and spice. Cedar and tobacco aromas compliment integrated lively tannins fill out your palate allowing the wine to be consumed on its own or with your favorite food.

Winemaker Notes:
Lodi experiences warm days that are cooled down in the evenings from the fog off of the Sacramento Delta. These warm temperatures produce a dense style of Cabernet Sauvignon that appeared to be a bit “weighty” for our Spellbound Cabernet Sauvignon. A friend brought us a unique red varietal called Dornfelder, affectionately known as “German Pinot Noir” by many winemakers. As we blended the Dornfelder in with the Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine became more lively and showed a great amount of spiciness while maintaining the true Spellbound and California Cabernet Sauvignon style. It was a first for us, and definitely not the last!

The above information from www.spellboundwines.com