Beef Fillets With Fennel-Marsala Sauce

This delicious and easy sauce for summer grilling pairs wonderfully with the spice and oak of St. Clement’s 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon.

• 4 beef fillet mignons, 1 inch thick
• ¼ cup olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• ½ cup St. Clement 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon
• ½ cup dry Marsala wine
• 1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds (optional)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2-4 tablespoons softened butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Using half of the olive oil, coat the steaks and apply salt and pepper to both sides.

Pour the remaining olive oil in a medium sauté pan on high heat and add red wine and Marsala. Boil wine for 30 seconds. Add garlic, stirring sauce 2 or 3 times. Add fennel, continuing to stir. Combine tomato paste with water and add to pan. Reduce heat. Simmer and stir for 1 minute.

Remove pan from heat and beat in the butter, one spoonful at a time until it is absorbed and has thickened the sauce. Beat in parsley and add salt and pepper to taste.

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