SERVES 4
If you prefer not to make the sauce base (recipe follows), mix ½ cup glace de viande with ¾ cup water and ¼ cup red wine and use this mixture in place of the base in step 2. Glace de viande is meat stock, in this case veal stock, that’s been reduced to a thick syrup; we recommend Provimi Glace de Veau and CulinArte’ Bonewerks Glace de Veau. Before preparing the sauce, read “Tips for Fearless Flambé” or, if you do not wish to flambé, simmer the cognac in step 2 for 10 to 15 seconds for a slightly less sweet flavor profile.
STEAKS |
|
4 |
(12-ounce) strip steaks, 1 to 1¼ inches thick, trimmed |
Table salt and ground black pepper |
|
2 |
tablespoons vegetable oil |
SAUCE |
|
1 |
tablespoon vegetable oil |
1 |
small shallot, minced (about 1 tablespoon) |
¼ |
cup cognac |
1 |
recipe Sauce Base for Steak Diane (see note) |
2 |
teaspoons Dijon mustard |
2 |
tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled |
1 |
teaspoon Worcestershire sauce |
2 |
tablespoons minced fresh chives |
Table salt and ground black pepper |
|
1. FOR THE STEAKS: Cover the steaks with plastic wrap and use a meat pounder to pound them to an even ½-inch thickness; season them with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Place 2 steaks in the skillet and cook until well browned, about 1½ minutes. Flip the steaks and weight with a heavy-bottomed pan; continue to cook until well browned on the second side, about 1½ minutes longer. Transfer the steaks to a plate and tent with foil. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and repeat with the remaining 2 steaks; transfer the second batch of steaks to the plate.
2. FOR THE SAUCE: Off the heat, add the oil and shallot to the skillet. Using the skillet’s residual heat, cook, stirring frequently, until the shallot is slightly softened and browned, about 45 seconds. Add the cognac and let stand until the cognac warms slightly, about 10 seconds, then set the skillet over high heat. Wave a lit match over the skillet until the cognac ignites, shaking the skillet until the flames subside, then simmer the cognac until reduced to about 1 tablespoon, about 10 seconds. Add the sauce base and mustard and simmer until slightly thickened and reduced to 1 cup, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the butter. Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, any accumulated juices from the steaks, and 1 tablespoon of the chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Serve immediately, spooning 2 tablespoons sauce and sprinkling a portion of the remaining 1 tablespoon chives over each steak, and passing the remaining sauce separately.