Steak Diane with Sauteed Potatoes and Peas

• four 7-ounce tenderloin, or sirloin steaks

To temper the steaks, place a rack onto a tray. Place the steaks onto the rack and let come to room temperature, for at least 30 minutes to an hour.

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• Tempering Steaks

• 1 pound small, waxy potatoes (Yukon Gold or any small, new potato)
• salt (for cooking the potatoes)

First wash the potatoes. Cut in half lengthwise and place into a pot. Cover with cold water, add the salt (1 tsp per liter/quart of water) and bring to a boil.

Once the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the potatoes simmer until just tender, about 10-15 minutes. Once done, drain and set aside.

In the meantime, prepare the rest of your mise en place.

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• What is Simmering?
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• 4 ounces crimini (or button) mushrooms
• 3 shallots
• 1 to 2 garlic cloves
• 1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (or to taste)
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup brandy or cognac
• 1 cup heavy cream

Pre-heat your oven to 325°F (170°C).

To prepare your mise en place, clean and thinly slice the mushrooms. Emince the shallots and mince the garlic. Remove the leaves from the parsley and roughly chop.

Gather the Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, brandy, and cream and set aside.

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• Kosher or gourmet salt (to taste)
• freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

To flatten the steaks, place them onto a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. Plastic wrap keeps your rolling pin clean and prevents the steaks from sticking to the pin, making it easier to roll them out. Note: It is easier to flatten 1 or 2 at a time.

Using a rolling pin, flatten the steaks into the desired thickness. The thinner the steaks are, the faster they will cook through; so, if you like your steaks medium-rare, flatten them to about 1/2-inch thick.

Season liberally with salt and pepper and set aside.

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• 3 to 4 tbsp olive oil
• salt (to taste)
• freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3 small sprigs rosemary

Once the potatoes are cooked and drained, heat a large, stainless-steel pan over medium to medium-high heat.

Test the pan to see if it has properly heated by doing the water test. Once the pan is hot, add the olive oil to the pan. Place the potatoes cut-side down. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the potatoes cook until they start to turn a light golden color.

Once the potatoes have begun to color, add the butter and let cook for another few minutes.

Gently press the whole garlic cloves to remove the skin. You can leave the rosemary whole, or for a more pronounced rosemary flavor, remove the leaves from the stem and roughly chop. Add the garlic and rosemary to the pan and let the potatoes continue to cook until golden brown.

Once the potatoes are nicely browned, turn them over and transfer the pan to the oven to keep them warm.

Next, place a small pot of cold water onto boil for the peas.

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• olive oil (for cooking)

Note: Depending on the size of the pan and steaks, you may have to cook the steaks in batches to ensure good color and proper suc development.

Make sure to pat the steaks dry with paper towels before cooking to ensure a good sear.

To cook the steaks, preheat a large, stainless-steel pan over medium-high heat. To see if the pan is hot enough, make sure to perform the water test before cooking.

Once the pan is hot, add the olive oil. Place the steaks into the pan and let sear for approximately 1-2 minutes on each side (or cook to the desired doneness).

Once each batch is done, transfer the steaks to a rack that is resting over a tray. Cover loosely with vented foil and let rest. You may need to add a touch more oil to the pan in between batches. Once all of the steaks are cooked and resting, immediately move on to making the sauce.

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• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp olive oil (if needed)

To make the sauce, quickly add a teaspoon or so of oil (if needed) to lightly coat the base of the pan.

With the pan over medium-high, add the shallots. Cook until the shallots begin to soften. Then add the mushrooms, along with the butter. Once the mushrooms have taken on some color, add the minced garlic. Let cook for approximately 30 seconds.

The next step is to deglaze the sucs. It is important to remove the pan from the flame before adding the liquor.

NOTE: FOR SAFETY REASONS, DO NOT ADD THE LIQUOR TO THE PAN DIRECTLY FROM THE BOTTLE OR WHILE THE PAN IS OVER THE FLAME.

Once the liquor has been added, return the pan to the stove. Stand back and tilt the pan away from you to allow the flame to ignite the liquor. Set the pan down and let the alcohol cook and burn off.

Note: If using an electric range, refer to the drill-down on How to Flambe with an Electric Burner.

Once the flame has gone away, let the juices reduce by half to concentrate. Then add the Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, cream and any juices from the resting steaks. Let the sauce simmer and reduce to thicken.

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• fresh lemon juice (optional)
• butter (for finishing)
• salt (to taste)
• 2 cups frozen peas
• freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Once the sauce has reduced by about half, taste for seasoning and make any adjustments, if necessary. Stir in half of the chopped parsley. Note: You may want to finish the sauce with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavor.

Season the pot of boiling water with salt (1 tsp/litre or quart of water) and add the peas. Let cook for approximately 2 to 3 minutes or until tender.

Add the steaks back into the pan and turn to coat with the sauce. Turn the heat to low to keep warm.

Once the peas are done, drain and add the butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the potatoes from the oven. Coat with the oil from the pan to give them a nice shine. Place a steak onto each plate and spoon the sauce over top. Divide the potatoes and peas among the plates and sprinkle the remaining parsley over the steaks. Serve immediately.

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