The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook (15 page)

In the early twentieth century it was expected that no female guest would enter the dining room alone. According to tradition, a woman needed a man to “guide” her. Thus, after the butler formally announced “Dinner is served” to the waiting guests, each male guest — having already been informed of his partner — would offer his arm to a woman and guide her to her chair. The host would enter first, himself being partnered with the most esteemed and senior woman guest. Then the other paired guests would follow, according to the woman’s rank, with the hostess entering and sitting last, the senior male guest on her arm.

This dish is a perfect example of the height of Edwardian excess in dining. Here, a choice cut of steak is covered with
foie gras
and topped with an expensive and elegant truffle sauce. It’s likely that Mrs. Patmore would have saved this dish for days when fewer courses would be served, as she wouldn’t want guests to be
too
full when this comes around!

¹
⁄
₂
cup unsalted butter, room temperature

¹
⁄
₄
cup white truffle oil

1 cup dry white wine

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

²
⁄
₃
cup heavy cream

1 or 2 small black truffles, shaved

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

6 filet mignons (2–2
¹
⁄
₂
pounds)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

6 ounces
foie gras
, cut into 6 slices

1. For sauce:
   In a large mixing bowl, mix together butter and truffle oil. Form a log of truffle butter on plastic wrap, then wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm.
   
2. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine white wine and garlic. Season with salt and white pepper. Bring liquid to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.
   
3. Stir in cream and cook for another 1–2 minutes. Cut the truffle butter log into 1-inch pieces, then reduce heat and gently whisk in butter, a piece at a time. Reduce heat to low simmer and keep sauce warm. Garnish with shaved truffles.
   
4. For steaks:
   Heat butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Season the steaks with salt and pepper, then gently sauté in oil and butter for 10–12 minutes, turning once, so sides are brown but middles are still pink.
   
5. Keep steaks warm in oven while preparing the
   foie gras
   . Treating
   foie gras
   incredibly gently and using a sharp knife, score a diamond pattern into
   foie gras
   slices. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then gently sauté
   foie gras
   in a small nonstick pan over low to medium heat until the
   foie gras
   develops some color. Lay slices of
   foie gras
   over steaks, then dribble with truffle sauce. Serve immediately.
   

Truffles have always been rare. Back during the Edwardian period, white truffles were only available a few months out of the year in a particular area of Italy, where they had to be foraged for by special pigs.

Rich yet popular, this French dish is one that Mrs. Patmore would feel confident to serve to any of Downton Abbey’s respected guests. While the sauce normally contains cream, this recipe takes out that thick ingredient and allows the other flavors to shine through.

4 (1-inch-thick) tenderloin steaks

2
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chopped

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

¹
⁄
₂
cup chopped shallots

¹
⁄
₂
cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup low-sodium beef broth

²
⁄
₃
cup good brandy

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove steaks from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
   
2. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the salt all over steaks. Then press black pepper evenly on all sides of meat until it coats the steaks’ surface, and set aside.
   
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and the oil in a large ovenproof sauté pan over medium-high heat until the butter is close to smoking. Lower the heat to medium, then place steaks on the pan and sear for 3 minutes per side. Then place entire pan in preheated oven for 10 minutes for medium to medium-well-done steaks.
   
4. Remove pan from oven, place steaks on a platter and keep warm. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of steak fat from pan. Add shallots and mushrooms to fat in pan, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add beef broth and increase heat, cooking on high heat for 6 minutes until sauce is reduced by half. Be sure to scrape the brown bits from the bottom. Add brandy and cook for another 3 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in remaining butter and the extra
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   teaspoon salt. Serve steaks hot with the sauce poured on top.
   

When eating in the classic “English” manner, the fork, having just impaled its food, enters the mouth with the tines facing down. The impaled food must then be balanced on the
back
of the fork tines. As it is extremely difficult to eat like this, it is of course considered the height of good manners.

This classic French dish would be served with much aplomb to Downton Abbey regulars and guests alike. Its simplistic nature is certain to appeal to the Earl of Grantham, who seems like a more “meat and potatoes” kind of eater than say, his nitpicky mother. Mrs. Patmore might offer this dish accompanied by the delicious Daisy’s Noisette Potoatoes (see
Chapter 6
). With or without them, however, the thick chasseur sauce on these steaks guarantees a hit.

4 (6- to 8-ounce) filet mignon steaks

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon minced shallot

3 teaspoons minced garlic

1 pound button mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 tomatoes, diced

¹
⁄
₄
cup dry white wine

1 cup veal stock

¹
⁄
₄
cup unsalted butter

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

1 teaspoon thyme, chopped

1 teaspoon parsley, chopped

1. Season the filets equally with salt and cayenne pepper.
   
2. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear steaks for about 7–9 minutes per side.
   
3. You can prepare the sauce while the steaks cook:
   Heat olive oil in another large saucepan. Add shallot and garlic, and sauté over medium heat for 2–3 minutes. Then add the button mushrooms and sauté, constantly stirring, for an additional 3–5 minutes. Toss in the diced tomatoes. Finally, add the wine and veal stock, and bring entire mixture to a boil. Then lower heat and let simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in butter and white pepper until thoroughly incorporated, then add thyme and parsley. Spoon sauce over steaks on their respective plates.
   

Chasseur sauce, often known as “hunter’s sauce,” is used in French cuisine. As the name suggests, this brown sauce is often paired with game meats such as venison or rabbit. While the sauce was invented by Duke Philippe de Mornay (also the inventor of Mornay sauce, béchamel sauce, and sauce Lyonnaise), it was famed chef Escoffier, the “father of modern French cuisine,” who really helped to make it popular in England.