Monday, June 8, 2009

Raising the Steaks


There aren't many things better in life than a simply but well cooked steak coated with a red wine sauce and devoured with a bottle of a full bodied red.

There's something about biting into a juicy, medium rare steak that satisfies the primal human and frankly, it takes nothing more than some loving care and quality ingredients. Below is a simple but winning recipe.

Ingredients
For the steak
400 gram steak (I used a T-bone on this occassion - look for good marbling)
Sea Salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

For the sauce
Shallots
Beef bones (if you have them - otherwise use trimmings from your steak)
Diced carrot
Diced celery
Garlic cloves
Sprig of rosemary
Brandy
Full bodied red (I used a Cabernet Shiraz)
Good quality beef or veal stock
Knob of butter

Method
1. Leave meat out at room temperature for at least an hour. Season very generously with salt and pepper (the seasonings will "disappear" into the crust of the steak)
2. Once a pan is very hot, pan fry the steak 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a pre-heated oven (200 degrees celcius) and cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove and rest for 2 minutes.
3. For sauce, pan fry bones in olive oil, add shallots, carrots, celery, garlic and rosemary. Season with sea salt and cook until vegetables start to caramelise.
4. Deglaze with brandy, then add a glass of red wine. Simmer until alcohol burns off and add beef/veal stock. Simmer for 20 minutes or until reduced. Strain sauce, season and add a knob of butter at the end of the cooking time.
5. Serve steak on a warmed plate, drizzle with red wine sauce and a side of blanched french beans.
6. Eat, drink and be very happy!

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