Fillet Mignon Pasta with Shrimp, Vine Ripened tomatoes, and Creamy Tomato Basil Sauce

"hold the forks, red meat is not healthy!"


Fillet Mignon pasta has to be one of my favorite healthy pasta choices. Before you start clutching your Jenny Craig menu, read why I beg to differ with angry vegans around the world. I know what your thinking, all red meat is unhealthy. Well that is an unfair generalization, because it really depends on what part of the cow you use. Fillet Mignon is the strip on the back of the cow and tends to be a lot leaner as well as extremely tender. Fillet Mignon is traditionally wrapped in bacon because it lacks fat content, and this lean red meat contains nutrients such as, iron, zinc, selenium, and vitamin D (Click here to see a complete list of nutrients that lean meat contains). This makes Fillet Mignon an excellent choice in poultry for this healthy pasta sauce!

TIP: I like to toss the Mignon in balsamic and extra virgin olive oil mixture, which results in a tangy, savory meat that has a subtle sweetness reminiscent of bourbon.

Ingredients:

Serves about two:

• 6-8oz of Fillet Mignon or lean beef
• Fresh basil
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 Teaspoon Balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
• 1 cup Chicken Stock
• 1 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 10 pieces of shrimp
• 1/2 small size yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup Parmesan (don't use low fat Parmesan)
• Angel hair, or linguine. If you chose to use linguine, then make sure sauce is thick enough; you can do this by adding more pine nuts. In culinary terms we call thisProper Viscosity.
  
  

NOTE: This recipe, like my others isn't set in stone, you can add your special touch or make it healthier by omitting the beef and adding tofu marinated in 3 equal parts soy, balsamic, and Worcester sauce (about a tablespoon each part).

METHOD:

1. Half cherry tomatoes, saute for about three minutes and then cook on medium for 10 minutes.
2. Rough chop onions, mince garlic, and toss around in bowl with salt and pepper along with teaspoon of balsamic.
3. After cherry tomatoes have been cooking for 10 minutes add onions and garlic to pot / sauce pan, let cook for 10 more minutes.
4. Put mixture in blender with pine nuts and chicken broth until smooth
5. Put back in pot and simmer on medium for three minutes and add cheese slowly while stirring, chop and add basil.
6. Cut fillet Mignon in bite size pieces, add a splash of balsamic to the fillet Mignon, salt and pepper. Sear at high heat on both sides with a little of olive oil. NOTE: Do not over cook Fillet Mignon cook for about a minute on both sides, if you like your meat cooked well then cook it to about medium (just until blood starts showing on top then turn).
7. Add fillet Mignon to sauce, don't forget to taste your sauce and adjust with salt and pepper. Remember a good chef constantly tastes his sauce! Also if its too salty don't panic, just add a little water and a pinch of basil. If its bland add salt very slowly. The most pivotal part of making a delicious healthy pasta dish is to adjust properly.
8. Now lastly, saute shrimp and add to sauce a long with pan drippings.

Viola! You have a four star recipe that will impress your hot date or will make a spectacular family meal. Also if you want, you can add a pinch of basil to the sauce while in the blender for that extra basil flavor.