French Turbulence: Honeyed filet mignon and coconut polenta

I spotted the recipe on this blog I love, Carnets Parisiens. Parigote always posts the best pictures and I simply had to make this dish. However, I confess it is hard for me to follow recipe to a T and I had to rearrange "things" my way (in the recipe). It came out pretty nice. You can't go wrong cooking anything in a Dutch oven! It renders your meat tender and melt-in-your-mouth-delicious.

The filet mignon is accompanied by a creamy polenta, jazzed up with coconut milk. The coconut taste is rather subtle but is a pleasant variation from the usual cow milk and Italian cheese. Growing up, my Mom would always make polenta with special meal - special meals being braised rabbit or game with a mushroomy reduction. I remember that most kids in school didn't know what polenta was and I felt so privilege to know this treat. It was so much more original than mashed potatoes, pasta or rice. I still think people underuse polenta as a versatile side dish.

My only regret is not to have had an appropriate wine with this dish, that night. So forgive the picture (at the end) of a rather terrible Alsacian pinot blanc - not only a bad match but a disappointing wine in my opinion. I would have rather tried a lovely red Burgundy, or Cotes du Rhone, or, more daring -on the white side-, an Alsacian gewurztraminer or pinot gris. A pint of Chimay beer would have been nice too!

Honeyed Filet Mignon and Coconut Polenta: (Filet Mignon au Miel et sa Poulainte au Lait de Coco)

1 or 2 oz filet mignon
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
5 tbsp honey
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup beef or vegetable stock
thyme
2 bay leaves
olive oil
salt & pepper

optional: leeks on the side, sliced thin, roasted in the oven in olive oil, salt & pepper for 20 minutes on 400F

200g polenta
1 1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 1/2 cup coconut milk
salt & pepper
optional additional cream

Brown your filet mignon in a little bit of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. When it starts browning, add in the vinegar and let cook for a few more minutes until the vinegar is all gone. Set the meat aside.
Heat one more tablespoon of olive oil in the same Dutch oven over high heat and throw in the minced onion. Once the onion is soft and browning, add in the garlic. Let cook for a minute. Stir in the honey. Add the filet mignon. Give it a minute before stirring in the beef or vegetable stock and the herbs.
Cover the Dutch oven and simmer for 30 minutes on low heat.

10 minutes before the filet mignon is done, simmer the vegetable stock and coconut milk on medium high heat with salt and pepper. When it simmers, throw in the corn meal and whisk for half a minute. Turn the heat of and cover for 5 minutes. You can then add a bit more cream (or even coconut cream) if the mixture is too thick.

Serve with roasted leeks and some snippets of fresh parsley!