Carrabbas' Beef Filet with Blue Cheese Sauce

Last night I made a copycat Carrabbas recipe and man was it good. Never before had I eaten a steak with a blue cheese sauce that was quite as delectable and flavorful! Couple it with an amazing salad and Japanese seasonal corn, this is an absolute perfect dinner to serve to company.

First, ensure that you have a good cut of meat. I like filet... thick, boneless and very little fat. I gave it a rub of the following seasonings:

- kosher salt
- white and black pepper
- Pampered Chef Three Onion Rub
- Hungarian Paprika (which I just happened to get in Budapest)
- Garlic Salt

But, I would imagine that any of your favorite combinations of seasonings would work just as well. (Just remember that the blue cheese is going to need to mesh with your flavors).

I used a copycat grill baste after applying the rub which called for:
-  2 TBsp of melted  butter in a sauce pan
- diced onions and minced garlic, cooked till tender (about 4 minutes).
- whisk in 2 TBsp flour
- add a  sprinkle of lemon juice,
- 1/4 C red wine vinegar,
- 1 TBsp of Dijon,
- and 1 1/2 TBsp sugar

After the rub and brushing your meat with your grill baste, grill it to your desired temperature. We managed a perfect medium rare.

Notice those wrapped corn on the cob? Yes, corn is in season in Japan and if you live here, you should get a few ears to eat each day. It's like candy. And for those in the states who wonder why I get excited about vegetables and fruits at different times of the year, it's because Japan only sells produce when it at its peak... so corn is here for about three months, and then we have to wait until next June to enjoy this tasty treat.

But back to the steaks...

The Blue Cheese Sauce:

This is the most important part of the meal... I mean, anyone can make a great steak and baste it with a flavorful oil, but I would not have imagined this combination! The ingredients are:

- 1/2 C heavy cream
- 3/4 C blue cheese
- 1/2 C mascarpone
- splash of lemon
- salt & pepper

Mix it all together and serve on the steaks, or as I did: on the side for easy dipping. Oh, it was sooooo delicious. Too bad I was full (as usual) and only nibbled, but my husband was happy to help. This was a no-leftover meal!

So as I said, this is perfect for company and not really that difficult (depending on if you want to make the copycat baste). I'm going to branch out with this blue cheese sauce.... it was so heavenly, I could imagine using it with sooooo many other dishes. I do believe that mascarpone, heavy cream, and blue cheese will be a new staple in the fridge.... And hopefully I'll come up with some new ways to celebrate these flavors.

Now I need to go to Carrabbas when I soon visit the states and test if their steak and blue cheese is as good as the copycats on-line.