Recipe: Bacon-Wrapped Filet Steaks Topped with Roasted Garlic Butter

Bacon-Wrapped Filet Steaks Topped with Roasted Garlic Butter

Serves 4.

The bacon provides a robust smoky accent to the beef, but you can omit it and the steaks still will be well-flavored with just the roasted garlic butter. The roasted garlic butter would be good on other cuts of beef as well, and it is also delicious as a seasoning for lamb. Though this seems like a large amount of garlic, roasting the garlic mellows the flavor.

• 12 large garlic cloves, peeled

• 1/4 c. olive oil

• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small chunks

• Kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves

• 4 (6-to 7-oz.) filet steaks, about 1 inch thick

• 4 very thin slices of lean bacon

• 6-inch wooden skewers or toothpicks, soaked in water 10 minutes and patted dry

With slotted spoon, remove garlic from bowl and reserve oil. Place garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the reserved oil, butter and 1/8 teaspoon salt in food processor or blender and process, pulsing machine on and off for 30 seconds or less until garlic is coarsely chopped and blended with butter and oil. Transfer garlic butter to small bowl and stir in 2 teaspoons of the chives. (Garlic butter can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before ready to use.)

When ready to cook steaks, oil a grill rack and prepare grill. In small bowl, stir together 1 teaspoon kosher salt, coarsely ground black pepper and thyme. Rub both sides of each filet with some of this seasoning. Then wrap each steak around its sides with 1 slice of bacon. Skewer bacon in place with wooden skewer or with 2 to 3 toothpicks.

Grill steaks until lightly charred on the outside and until bacon is cooked, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare.

When done, remove steaks from fire and place on warm serving plate. Remove toothpicks. Top each steak with 1 generous pat of roasted garlic butter and sprinkle with some of remaining chives. Butter will start to melt and season the steaks. Serve immediately.

Nutrition information per serving:

Carbohydrates 3 g

Protein 39 g

Fat 25 g

including sat. fat 11 g

Cholesterol 124 mg

Calcium 35 mg

Dietary fiber 0 g