Filet with mushrooms and thyme

Remove the steaks from the package and rinse them with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.
Let the steak rise to room temperature (15-30 minutes) while you are prepping the other ingredients.
Crack fresh black pepper onto a plate and lightly coat each side and then season with salt. Set aside until you are ready to cook it. Pour a little oil into the pan, just barely enough to cover the bottom
The mushrooms should be cleaned with a towel.
You should be able to brush off the dirt.
Then remove the stem until there is no woody (tough) part left. Next slice the mushrooms and set aside on the cookie sheet.

Remove the thyme leaves by sliding your fingers down the stem.
Dice the peeled shallots and garlic.

Heat a sasute pan to high heat and add oil to the pan, next place the presentation side down for each steak.
Sear each steak for 3 1/2 minutes on each side to make a golden brown crust and then put them in a baking dish, and bake at 325 for 4-5 minutes for medium rare and 8 minutes for medium well.
Once you remove it from the oven let it rest in the pan for 5 minutes so that the juices can run back into the steak.

In the same sauté pan as you seared the steaks (leave the fond) add a little more oil and then add the shallots and garlic.
Season with salt and sauté them until they are glossy and aromatic; next add the mushrooms and thyme. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper and finish with red wine vinegar to help release the fond from the pan and cook into the mixture. Once the mushrooms are golden brown remove them from the pan.

Remove the steaks from the pan and plate them with the mushrooms on top and garnish with a leftover thyme sprig.

Tip- Medium rare can be detected by watching the blood rise to the top of the meat. Once that evaporates completely then you move into well done. Meat needs to rest for 5-10 minutes after it is cooked it will raise one to two degrees.