top of the food chain: steak and brandy sauce
You can do this on the grill or in a stainless steel skillet on the stove. (Non-stick will work, but it won’t be as good.) I, of course, used a skillet. You will need:
- 2 steaks — strip, ribeye, top sirloin, tenderloin will all be excellent
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil (not olive oil)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter (if you don’t have any, use the plain old butter and cut the salt you use on the steaks)
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1/4 cup creme fraiche (leave a cup of cream with two tablespoons of buttermilk added at room temperature for 12 hours)
- 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped — I got mine from my herb garden
- 1/2 cup brandy or cognac
- Salt and pepper
Heat the oil in the skillet over medium or medium-high heat. You want a state where the oil shimmers in the pan but does not smoke. Olive oil smokes at a lower temperature than vegetable oil does, which is why you cannot use olive oil. Season both sides of the steaks with the salt and pepper.
Sear the steaks at between 3 and 5 minutes per side depending on their thickness and your desired level of doneness. Steaks I let go about 4-4.5 minutes; tenderloins I flatten by gently pressing with a cutting board or pan before cooking — no more than three minutes per side. Do not poke or adjust the steaks in the pan while they are cooking except to turn them.
When they are done to your liking, remove them and put them somewhere where they will stay warm. Add the butter, and when it melts, saute the shallot, garlic, and tarragon until the shallot just starts to brown — just a couple of minutes. Immediately add the brandy and reduce by half. When that happens, whisk the chicken stock and cream, reducing by half or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, whisking occasionally. Add the collected juice from the meat, whisk one last time, and serve.
Serve with garlic mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach. A nice Merlot or Cab makes a great accompaniment.
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