Steak and Mushroom Turnovers With Blueberry-Port Wine Sauce

Leftover steak, wild mushrooms and creamy goat cheese, all enveloped in crispy layers of phyllo dough pastry meet a fresh blueberry sauce for a champion appetizer or first course. No leftover steak?  This recipe is worth cooking a small one especially to enjoy this elegant and tasty treat!

We had leftover steak for all the wrong reasons today – a result of a disastrous dinner at Four Restaurant in Portsmouth NH.  I never trust a restaurant that won’t trust me to have salt and pepper at my table.  Inevitably the food is over seasoned, as our steaks were – too salty to eat from the plate!  Had I known this before making the reservation we would have gone elsewhere.  But life is about taking chances, trying new things, and even when they don’t all work out – might as well make the most of it.  Thank goodness Rob is a man of good humor, because after we took our first bites, he simply looked at me and said “Let’s just take them home – you’ll figure out something to do with them”.

Staring at the steak this morning, trying to forget the ordeal of that two hour torture-session dinner, I thought for sure I would let him down. My mind was blank. I reached out through Twitter to my foodie friends, and I got some support right away!  Lisa at Lisa is Cooking , a constant inspiration to me, suggested beef jerky……yum, I wanted some of THAT for sure.  But I did want something to enjoy for the 1:00 Patriots game, so I filed that thought in the mind and reconsidered.  Cookin’ Canuck  had the terrific suggestion for diluting all of that salt in a soup. Since it was such a cold, rainy day that sounded good to me as well.  Sadly I had no stock, or the makings for one…. so I used what I had on hand, making a variation of a wild mushroom goat cheese turnover that I once prepared as a Sous-chef in a fine dining restaurant. At the same time I got to try out the new and improved Athens brand phyllo dough that had been sitting in my fridge for two weeks waiting patiently for me……and by the way, it really is improved, easier to handle and I love it.

In the end, this is what I served for game day food – HA!  Last week I made buffalo wings, next Sunday I’ll probably make pizza, but today?  Today we had our fancy little pies, to the enormous amusement but thorough enjoyment of all.

Steak and Mushroom Turnovers recipe:  (makes 8 turnovers)

• 1/2 cup cooked beef steak, cut into a small dice
• 1/4 cup cooked fresh buttom mushrooms, chopped finely
• 1/4 cup reconstituted dried wild mushrooms (I used black trumpet), chopped finely
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3 oz. chevre (goat cheese)
• 1 tbsp mushroom cooking liquid
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 package (8 oz.) Athens phyllo dough, or your favorite brand
• 1 stick melted butter for phyllo dough

Directions:

• Melt butter on medium in a large skillet, add the garlic and shallot and stir often for a few minutes until the shallots and garlic are softened, but not browned. Add the chopped button and wild mushrooms, the steak, thyme and chili pepper flakes. Stir continually for a few minutes over medium heat until everything is fully incorporated and heated through. Remove from heat and set aside for several minutes to cool.
• In a medium mixing bowl, mix the goat cheese and mushroom cooking liquid together until smooth and creamy. Add the cooled steak and mushroom mixture, combine thoroughly and taste for salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 5 layers of phyllo dough with melted butter between each layer and cut the stack into two lengthwise. Put a very generous portion of steak and mushroom filling (figure on dividing the mix into eight) on the end of each dough strip, allowing a fold-over to make a square.

• Continue to fold the turnover up the length of the phyllo dough so that all sides end up closed. Repeat the process until phyllo dough and filling are used. Note:  Using four, or even six layers will still give you great results…..in case you lose count as I sometimes do!
• Brush melted butter on top of turnover triangles, place on an un-greased baking sheet and cook for twenty to twenty five minutes, or until golden brown.
• To serve, place one or two tablespoons of the blueberry sauce on a plate and place the turnover, bottom side up (hence turnover), on top. Enjoy!

Blueberry- Port Wine Sauce recipe: (enough for eight turnovers)

• 1/2 cup blueberry jam
• 2 Tbsp dark brown sugar
• 3 Doz. fresh plump blueberries
• 2 Tbsp port wine

Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a rapid boil, stirring often. When the blueberries have burst, stir well and remove from heat but keep warm until serving.

This sweet sauce is really a great complement to the savory flavors of the turnovers!