Sensational Steak, Shiitake and Stilton

Here we go again. A nice photo or two to convince you of the efficacy of my approach combined with a little bit of alliteration in the headline and you are already a few lines into the story. I can’t and won’t pretend that this is a recipe. It isn’t. It is, however, a truly sensational way to serve a top quality, dry aged, Irish fillet steak. 

A word of caution around this though. If you don’t have a great relationship with your butcher, you might not do as well as I did. Here’s a bit of the back story. My friend, the delightful Katia, who writes the delightful proper food blog gave me a present of a round of delightful, mature Stilton. I like my cheese as much as the next guy (or gal, we are not sexist here on One Man’s Meat), but, a whole wheel of Stilton is a lot to get through. When you have had your fill of port and Stilton, fettuccine and a Stilton sauce, Stilton on crackers and even Stilton served with a glass or five of Chateaux Monbaziliac, you begin to run out of ideas. So, the thought of Steak, Shiitake and Stilton got me going.

Back to the butcher. Anybody who reads my ramblings knows that I am passionate about our independent butchers trade. For once, I won’t name the one who looked after me so well. If I did, you would all flock there and expect to get the same treatment, This would be bad for you and bad for the butcher. Extra special treatment can only be doled out to the few. I am lucky enough to be in that exclusive band.

When I asked for a “nice piece of aged fillet for four”, he went to the dry ageing cabinet took out a large loin and expertly removed the fillet for me. The beef was perfect. I stopped in the grocers for the mushrooms and got home to cook. Firstly, I reduced the mushrooms by frying them in butter.

A very large bag of mushrooms reduces to very little when fried in butter.

The fillets were salted, peppered and rubbed with a small amount of oil. Then they were placed on a very hot cast iron pan.

Some of the best beef I have ever tasted.

I suppose I had better show you a shot of the beef in the frying pan.

I like my steak to be cut on the thick side. That way, I can see it cook.

When the steak is nearly done, slice some Stilton and sit it on top of the steaks. Here’s a gratuitous cheese slicing shot.

A really mature Stilton is a thing of beauty.

I doubt that I will ever be as mature as this cheese was. It was pretty perfect in every way. Place the frying pan in a hot oven for long enough to melt the cheese. Serve the steak with the mushrooms.

Yes, I took the big one on the left for myself.

Side note on serving: I served this with some lovely floury potatoes with melting butter. They taste great but don’t photograph too well. Hence, the ‘artistic’ shot of the steak and mushrooms. 

That’s about as artistic as I get. It didn’t stay that way for long.

If you can get your hands on some great Stilton, some awesome beef and even some delightful mushrooms, I do encourage you to try this. It was, if you will pardon one last alliteration,  a surely sensational steak, Shiitake and Stilton supper. Sublime….