The idea for using filet mignon for this classic Vietnamese dish comes from The Slanted Door in San Francisco: cubed, tender beef, stir-fried briefly in a hot pan, before adding the ingredients to form a simple, flavorful sauce. Serve shaking beef on a bed of watercress with lime wedges and thinly sliced scallion or red onion.

  • Yield: 2 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 20 mins, plus 30 mins to come to room temp 
  • Active: 20 mins 

Ingredients (8)

  • 2 filet mignon steaks (about 8 ounces each), cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari
  • 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Olive oil
  • Watercress, lime wedges, and thinly sliced scallions or red onion, for serving

Instructions

  1. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to come to room temperature. In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and garlic.
  2. Pat the filet pieces dry with paper towels and season with plenty of salt and pepper. Heat a large cast-iron frying pan over high heat for about 5 minutes.
  3. When the pan is very hot, add the olive oil. When hot, sear the steak pieces until browned, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes total. Add the soy sauce mixture and toss and coat the steak pieces. Bring to a boil, then transfer to a serving plate.