Roquefort Cheese Stuffed Sirloin

Al Waxman’s Roquefort Cheese Stuffed Sirloin.

 Here is me and Al Waxman with my best co worker Ian Cox who never ever let me down.

We became good foody friends and I was invited to their Toronto residence for some social time with Al and his wife Sara.

This a side view of one of the mobile kitchen rigs that I would drive as my personal mobile commissary kitchen which was more of a serving kitchen and my office. Hooked up to a Ford 9000 this trailer was a great piece of equipment.

Here is one his favourite recipes and a good story.

I used to enjoy watching the Canadian Sitcom TV show The King Of Kensington staring

Al Waxman and first met him and his wife back in 1983.

Sara Waxman was food columnist for the Toronto Sun and she featured me in one of her rising chef’s food columns. Five years later I re met Mr. Waxman sitting in a screening room sided by some of his fellow actors Jack Duffy, Henry Gibson and SCTV actor Tony Rosato. These were just a few of the characters I would be cooking meals for in the next few months.

It was a hilarious meeting and they all gave me hands on instruction on what to cook for the evening dinner.

I asked Al Waxman what he was hankering for? He said one of his favourite comfort meals that he missed was fresh ground sirloin stuffed with Roquefort cheese and deglazed with a good Port and Madagascar green pepper corn cream sauce. All ears in the room were listening as Al told us where he first had this meal. Now Mr. Waxman was a good cook and I found out that he had been well instructed by several chefs over the years and he was willing to instruct me on how to perfectly prepare this stuffed sirloin which he first tried in New York at the Waldorf Astoria. He said the culinary staff would make this meal table side if asked and it was a good entertainment as well as a tasty meal. His wife Sara would prepare this meal for company and he wanted to see if I could duplicate this recipe to taste exactly like the first time he had it and I was up to the challenge. The important thing about this recipe is to use a good Tawny Port and the real Roquefort Cheese from a ewe;[Sheep]. The meat should be dry aged steer sirloin with some good marble. The more premium the cut of beef the better the results. Ask your butcher to fresh grind the chosen cut of sirloin beef. Remember that your butcher is there to serve you and you should feel comfortable to ask.

You will need for this recipe;

3 pounds of coarsely chopped sirloin.

2 eggs.

2 shallots minced.

1 cup sliver sliced onions

1 cup chopped mushrooms

Teaspoon each of Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

1 cup crumbled Roquefort cheese.

3 tablespoons of good fresh vegetable oil.

1 cup Tawny Port.

4 tablespoons of green peppercorns.

1 cup heavy cream.

½ cup of cultured no salt butter cut into small cubes.

In a stainless bowl combine meat, eggs, shallots, salt and pepper and mix well.

Hand form into 12 4 oz. equal round servings and stuff each one with a little of the cheese. Be sure to completely cover the cheese. Flatten each portion slightly in to a patty.

Heat a heavy gauge sauté pan and add the oil. Place the meat evenly in the pan and sauté till browned; Approx. 7 minutes. Turn over only once and continue to sauté for 4 minutes more.

The cheese will melt and the meat should be medium rare. Transfer meat to a heated platter and hold.  Now add onions mushrooms and sauté. Pour off the fat from the pan return to the heat and deglaze with the port stirring the pan to get the caramelized residue to infuse. Add the peppercorns and the cream and continue to stir.

As the sauce thickens whisk in the butter a piece at a time and the rest of the Roquefort Cheese. You should now have a velvet cheesy-beefy butter cream sauce. On a heated plate place a portion of the sirloin and nap with some of the mushroom peppercorn sauce. Side with some fresh steamed parsley buttered vegetables and whipped potatoes and enjoy your company’s toast to your superb dinner.

Enjoy!