Filet Mignon with Mushrooms Sauce

Preheat your oven to 350°F, if you have one available.

Wrap each beef tenderloin steak with a strip of bacon, forming a ring around the steak. Secure the bacon in place using toothpicks.

Place a pan large enough to accommodate all four filets over high heat. Add some vegetable oil, then sear the filets for 40 seconds on each side.

Season both sides of the seared filets with salt and pepper. Transfer them to an oven-safe tray and place them into the preheated oven. A helpful tip for achieving tender steaks is to avoid salting them until they are fully seared, as salt can toughen the meat. For true meat lovers, a simple seasoning of salt and pepper is often all that's needed!

While the steaks are in the oven, return the same pan to high heat. Add a little more oil, then add the chopped onion and sauté for about 20 seconds.

Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan. (Deglazing is a French culinary technique that involves loosening the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of a cooking vessel using a liquid like water, wine, or citrus juice.)

After about one minute, reduce the heat slightly and add the mushrooms, cut into thick slices or chunks. Let them cook for three minutes.

Stir in the cream and reduce the heat a bit further. Carefully remove the filets from the oven and transfer them into the sauce, making sure to also add any accumulated meat juices from the tray. Let the sauce and filets simmer together for one more minute. The dish is now ready! Serve and enjoy. A creamy purée makes an excellent accompaniment to this delicious meal!

Oops! Before serving, remember to remove all the toothpicks from the steaks!;)