We are thrilled to welcome you to Take Out, our brand new weekly article.  

There is nothing we enjoy more than sitting down to a beautiful meal in a restaurant.  With so much going on in life – work, children, bills – it’s nice to be fussed over.  We also understand that eating out is expensive and occasionally it’s difficult to pay for food that can be made at home.  You certainly don’t need to be a chef to create stunning food.  Here we’ll give you the chance to bring to your table the best Disney appetizers, entrees, and desserts.  And no, you will not need an ADR.  

We’ll share with you what the ingredients cost at home, and compare it to what you would pay at Disney Parks.  Yes, there is a little more work involved. We’re sure you’ll be thrilled with the results.  

Please note:  Unless otherwise noted, our cooking is based on 2 people.  Unfortunately, our 8 month old daughter can’t handle the Disney portions (yet).  With few exceptions, the ingredients will result in having leftover product to use for another dinner.   We don’t want to be presumptuous about how many people you are feeding, or how much they all eat, so all recipes are pretty basic.  You can tweak accordingly.  Along the way, we are going to add our own touches, and you can too.  That is one of the small joys of cooking at home.  

Now, let’s eat. 

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Le Cellier Mushroom Filet Mignon

The Canadian Pavilion at Epcot hosts one of Disney Worlds most popular restaurant, Le Cellier Steakhouse.   The stone walls, candles, and warm colors of the interior add to the ambience of the dining room.  Due to the enormity of its fan base, signature status, and small seating capacity – one of the 5 smallest of Disney table service establishments – it can be extremely difficult to secure a reservation here.

Here, guests feasts on prime cuts of Canadian beef, cooked over an coal-grill.   There are two dishes the restaurant is known for.  No, the pretzel bread does not count as a ‘dish’.  The Cheddar Cheese Soup is a signature appetizer, and for the last few years the best-selling snack at the Food and Wine Festival.

The signature entree: The mushroom Filet Mignon.  A 8 oz hand-cut filet served over a mushroom risotto.  The Price – $43.00

Let’s explore what it would cost to create one of Disney’s best known dishes at home.

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Our ingredients for this dish were procured from Publix in Windermere, Florida.

You’ll need:

• Filet Mignon (2 steaks, $13.45)
• Arrborio Rice (1 bag, $2.99 – will have extra rice)
• button mushrooms (1 container, $1.99 – can substitute for other mushroom variety and will have leftover)
• beef stock (1 container, $2.49 – will have extra)
• butter (1 pound, $2.99 – will have extra)
• parmesan cheese (Publix brand, $6.54 – will have plenty of extra)
• white onion (1 small – $0.97)
• garlic (1 bulb – $0.86)
• heavy cream (small container – $2.99)

Total price for all ingredients: $35.27 (tax not included).   Less than the price of a single Le Cellier mushroom filet, this lot will feed two people with plenty of essentials left over for another use.

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For the Risotto…

Ingredients:
1/2 pound mushrooms, roasted
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
4 tablespoons whole butter
1 small onion, diced
1 pound Arborio rice
7 cups beef stock
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese

Preparation:
1. Clean mushrooms and toss with enough olive oil just to coat. Add the minced garlic and season with salt and pepper.
2. Place on parchment lined sheet pan and roast in 375 oven for 20 minutes. Set aside.
3. In a deep pan, melt 2 -3 Tbs of butter over medium low heat.
4. Saute onions, seasoning with salt and pepper, until soft and clear.
5. Raise the heat to medium and add the rice.
6. Cook for about three minutes, stirring frequently until it looks chalky and a white dot is clearly visible in the center of each grain.
7. Meanwhile, bring your beef stock to a simmer.
8. Heat the cream and keep it on low to keep warm.
9. Begin to add the beef stock one cup at a time, simmering and stirring until each addition has been absorbed by the rice before adding the next.
10. After all of the beef stock has been added, fold in the roasted mushrooms.  Begin adding the cream, 1/2 cup at a time and begin tasting.
11. When ready, rice should be close to tender, but with a little more firmness to the bite.  It should be slightly loose, with a creamy consistency.  Never over-cook to mush.
12. Remove pan from the heat and fold in the remaining butter and parmesan cheese.
13. Allow the risotto to rest for a couple of minutes, then enjoy!

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The Protein…

We very simple cooked our steak in a cast iron skillet and finished the filets in the oven.  Seasoned with only salt and pepper.  Make sure to take a few extra minutes to bring your meat to room temperature – it allows for a more consistent and even cook.

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Additions…

At the restaurant, the filet is served with a white sauce, at home we choose a lighter and fresher pickled asparagus salad.  It’s easy, shave a few stocks of raw asparagus, and some chopped green onion, vinegar, a touch of salt and pepper and let sit for 30 minutes.  Mix in some more asparagus, still shaved, but not pickled.  Place on steaks.

If you have a few extra dollars ($14.95, to be exact), pick up some truffle oil and add a touch near the end of cooking your risotto.  Yeah, it’s pricey.  You’ll only need a wee drop to bring out the rich, delectable taste of truffle.  It will last a long while, and makes an amazing finishing oil for soups, protein, and salad dressings.