I came up with this recipe spontaneously one night when a few friends popped in unexpectedly. It was a gorgeous summer night and we decided that “grilling out” would be infinitely more fun than “going out.” Since I only had 2 filets and four mouths to feed, I cut the filets into chunks. Then I upped the ante by roasting the shallots until they started oozing all that yummy caramelized onion sugar. Before I grilled the kabobs, I wove a slice of pre-cooked bacon through the steak and the mushrooms. Each plate was piled with rare filet, bacon, mushrooms and roasted shallots. It was a night that re-mixed the classic song: ‘Summer time and the grillin’ is easy.’  

Ingredients

8 shallots

2 filet mignons about 8 ounces each

Olive oil

Kosher salt

18 whole white mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed

8 slices center-cut bacon

4 Grill Friends Double Kabob Skewers or 8 bamboo skewers, soaked in water

Methods/steps

Grilling Method: Direct/Medium Heat

Preheat the grill.

Roast the Shallots: Keeping the shallots in their skin, place on the warming rack of the grill to roast slowly while you prepare the kabobs. Turn, if necessary to insure even cooking. The shallots will take between 30-45 minutes to caramelize and get soft. Remove when done and when cool enough to touch, peel skins, place them in a bowl and sprinkle with Fleur de Sel or coarse sea salt.

Meanwhile, cut each filet: Slice each filet lengthwise into thirds, turn them 45 degrees and cut the slices again into thirds (like tic-tack-toe board); you should have 9 pieces.

Brush the cleaned mushrooms with oil and place on another plate.

Assemble the kabobs: Lay the pieces on a clean work surface as follows: six pieces of meat alternating with six mushrooms. Take a slice of bacon and interweave it on the work surface under the meat then around and above the mushroom until you get to the last piece of mushroom. (The bacon will be threaded between the mushrooms and meat and will resemble ""ribbon"" candy.) Using the Grill Friends Double Kabob Skewers (or two bamboo skewers for each kabob), push the skewers parallel through each line of filet, mushrooms, and bacon, forming what looks like a ladder.

Grill kabobs, about 7 minutes per side or until the bacon is crispy and the meat and mushrooms are marked, tender and cooked. Remove from grill and place them on a clean platter. Let rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot with the grill-roasted shallots.

ALL RECIPES ©ELIZABETH KARMEL 2019