• Why have we never added whisky to mushrooms and fillet before? Fillet on the bone with whisky-cream mushrooms is deliciously tender and bursting with succulent flavours. A wonderful meat dish with an unexpected addition.

    Recipe by Jacques Erusmus

    Fillet on the bone with whisky-cream mushrooms

    Serves: 6
    Cooking Time: 1 hr

    Ingredients

    • 6 long sprigs fresh rosemary
    • 6 x 300g fillets on the bone
    • 30ml (2 tbsp) coriander seeds
    • 5ml (1 tsp) fresh thyme, chopped
    • 5ml (1 tsp) black pepper, crushed
    • 5ml (1 tsp) dark brown sugar
    • 30ml (2 tbsp) soya sauce
    • 45ml (3 tbsp) olive oil
    • 75g butter
    • 1 garlic clove, peeled and bruised
    • 300g assorted mushrooms (shiitake, white button, oyster, shimeji)
    • 300ml fresh cream
    • 7,5ml (1½ tsp) beef stock concentrate
    • 5ml (1 tsp) truffle oil
    • 45ml (3 tbsp) whisky
    • 30ml (2 tbsp) fresh parsley, chopped + extra, to garnish
    • herbed sea salt flakes, to serve

    Instructions

    1

    Tie the rosemary onto each fillet with thin butcher’s string and place in a mixing bowl. Combine the coriander seeds, thyme, pepper, sugar, soya and olive oil and rub into the meat. Set aside at room temperature to marinate, 30 minutes.

    2

    Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic and mushrooms and sauté, 4 – 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high, add the cream, beef stock concentrate, truffle oil and whisky and cook until slightly thickened, 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley.

    3

    Heat a griddle- or frying pan until very hot and cook the beef fillets, 4 – 5 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and allow to rest, 10 minutes, before serving with the whisky-cream mushrooms. Garnish with the herbed sea salt flakes and parsley.

    Notes

    Cook’s tip: A heavier, full-bodied whisky works well with this main course.