Pork caulcut into squares large enough to wrap the steaks topped with mushrooms
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
1gallonunsalted beef stockpreferably homemade
2tablespoonsunsalted butter
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Lard or cooking oilfor searing the beef
¼cupshallotdiced ⅛ in
1teaspoonfresh chopped thyme
½cupdry sherry
1recipe grain and nettle pilafrecipe follows-optional
1recipe pickled ramp-morel glacerecipe follows
Instructions
Pour beef stock over the dried morels to cover. Allow the morels to rehydrate, then agitate vigorously to remove any grit. Remove the morels from the liquid, slice each mushroom in half, then strain the liquid through a chinois or cheesecloth (or coffee filter). Reserve 3 quarts of strained stock for the morel-ramp glace (see below), and the rest for the morel stuffing.
Heat the lard or cooking oil in a pan and sear each filet for 2 minutes on each side to brown them. Do not move the steaks while they sear, and flip them only once. when the steaks are seared, but still very rare, remove them and set aside while you cook the morels.
Melt 1 T of the butter in the pan you used to cook the steaks. Add the shallots and cook until translucent, about two minutes, add the dried morels and cook for 2 minutes more, season with salt and pepper, then deglaze with the sherry and cook down until the pan is nearly dry. Next add the reserved morel liquid, and cook until the pan is nearly dry again, this could take 15-20 minutes. Add the fresh chopped thyme, double check the seasoning for salt and pepper and reserve until needed.
To prepare the crepinettes, take each seared steak and put it in the center of a piece of caul fat that will fit it. Put some of the cooked morels on top of each steak, making sure there is enough caul to completely cover and hold everything together. Wrap the steaks in caul fat and reserve until you're ready to bake them and serve.
To serve the crepinettes, heat an oven to 400 and put the steaks on a cookie sheet with a resting rack so that the bottoms don't overcook. Bake the crepinettes until just warmed through in the middle, then broil them to crisp the caul for a few minutes.
Divide some of the pilaf between each of 4 warmed dinner plates, top with a crepinette, then the ramp glace and serve immediately.