SEARED FILLETS OF BEEF DROWNED IN A
SPICY CRANBERRY FOOL SAUCE
Serves 24

For the sauce:
2 pasilla chiles, dried
2 ancho chiles, dried
1 cascabel chile, dried
1 hot New Mexico chile, dried
1 medium white onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
28 ounces chicken stock
11 ounces (1 jar) Cranberry Fool

For the fillets:
2 two-inch thick beef fillets, rinsed and dried
Salt and pepper


Heat a heavy frying pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Add chiles and roast, turning several times, until they puff up and begin to release their aromas (approximately 5 minutes). Do not let them burn. Remove from pan and cool until you can comfortably remove the stems and seeds. Tear chile skins into smaller pieces. (Note: if you are not used to handling chiles, wear rubber gloves.)

Meanwhile, add onions and garlic to the hot pan and sear until they start to blister. Add chicken stock and return the chile pieces to the pan. Add the jar of Cranberry Fool. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove pan from heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer solids into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pour liquid into a large heatproof pitcher. Pulse to coarsely puree solids and gradually add the reserved liquid until you form a thick sauce. Set aside.

Heat a cast iron frying pan over high heat until very very hot. (Note: if not using cast iron, use the heaviest frying pan you have and slick the cooking surface with a thin layer of peanut oil.).

Season steaks generously with salt and pepper. Add to hot pan and sear on both sides. Remove steaks to a warm plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil..

Lower heat under pan and give it a minute to cool down. Add the sauce carefully – it will “fry” upon contact with the pan. Stir constantly until the sauce comes to an even simmer. Return steaks to pan and monitor the temperature to keep it at a simmer until the steaks are done, turning once so that both sides cook evenly (approximately 5 minutes total for medium-rare).

Serve immediately over a bed of Triple-Rich Soft Polenta. Spoon about a cup of sauce over each fillet.

You’ll have about two cups of this versatile and great-tasting sauce left over. Refrigerate and enjoy it over eggs the next morning…or afternoon…or evening…