Horseradish Herb Crusted Filet Mignon

Filet mignon is famously tender and occasionally accused, with some justification, of being a little too well-behaved. A horseradish-herb crust fixes that. The steaks get a hard skillet sear first, then a mixture of squeezed-dry horseradish, panko, parsley, chives, garlic, and melted butter is pressed onto the tops before a quick trip under the broiler.

Squeezing the prepared horseradish dry is not busywork. Too much liquid softens the crumbs and turns what should be a crisp, pungent crust into damp lawn clippings with ambition. Panko gives the topping crunch, the herbs keep it fresh, and butter helps everything brown during those final three to five minutes under high heat. Pull the filets according to your preferred doneness in the 125–135°F range, then rest them for eight minutes. That rest is particularly important with a thick filet; slicing immediately lets the juices rush out just when you have done all this work to keep them inside. The finished steak gives you a tender center, browned exterior, and a sharp, garlicky crust that makes the whole thing taste less like formal dining and more like somebody finally let the filet loosen its tie.