Rib-Eye Steak with Red Wine and Porcini Sauce

Yield > 4
Keys : Beef Main Dish Meats Alcoholic French France European
Mediterranean
Ingredients :
3/4 oz dried porcini mushrooms -
(to 1)
2 tbl butter - (to 4)
1 cup veal or beef stock
(or canned beef or chicken
broth, preferably low-salt)
1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
(or 1/2 tspn dried thyme)
1 1/2 lb steaks, 3/4" to 1" thick -
(to 2 lbs)
Salt to taste
Freshly-ground black
pepper to taste
1 tbl oil
2 tbl minced shallots
3/4 cup dry red wine
(such as Cabernet
Sauvignon)
1 1/2 tsp potato starch (optional)
(or arrowroot or
cornstarch)
2 tsp minced parsley (optional)
2 tsp finely snipped chives
(optional)
1 1/2 tsp minced fresh tarragon
(optional)
1 dsh sugar (optional)
Method :
• Cook's Notes: You can substitute other dried mushrooms
for the porcinis; if using shiitakes, discard their tough stems
after soaking. Use steaks such as rib-eye, top loin (New York)
or tenderloin. For nonalcoholic options, use broth, tomato juice
or fruit juice.
• Cover the mushrooms with hot water and soak for 30
minutes. If you'd like to enrich the sauce with butter, cut 1 to
2 tablespoons of butter in 1/2-tablespoon pieces and
refrigerate them. Heat the oven to 180 degrees or its lowest
setting.
• Remove the mushrooms from the water and cut in 1/2-
inch pieces. Place them in a saucepan with the stock and
thyme. Bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered until the mixture is
reduced to about 1 cup, about 10 minutes. Cover and reserve.
• Pat the steaks dry. Trim the fat from their edges.
Sprinkle them with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large
heavy skillet, heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over
medium-high heat until the butter melts and its foam begins to
subside. Add the steaks and cook the first side for 2 or 3
minutes, regulating the heat so the fat does not burn. Turn the
steaks and cook until done to your taste, about 2 or 3 minutes.
• To check for doneness, press a steak with your finger: If
the meat does not resist, it is rare; if it resists slightly, it is
medium-rare. (If you are not sure, make a small cut in its
thickest part and check its color inside.) Immediately transfer
to an ovenproof platter and keep them in the oven.
• Note: If you don't have a large skillet, use 2 skillets to
cook the steaks, cook the shallots and deglaze with the wine.
Then pour the wine into 1 skillet, reduce it to 1/4 cup and
continue.
• Pour off the fat from the skillet, and melt 1 tablespoon of
butter over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook,
stirring, 1 minute. Add the wine and bring to a boil over high
heat, stirring and scraping up any brown bits. Boil the wine,
stirring often, until reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 2 minutes.
• Pour the wine into the porcini mixture and bring to a
simmer over medium heat. To thicken the sauce, put the
potato starch in a small bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon of water
until blended. Gradually whisk half of the potato starch slurry
into the simmering sauce. Return to a boil, stirring. For a
thicker sauce, gradually stir in the remaining slurry and return
to a boil.
• To enrich the sauce with butter, reduce the heat to low
and add the cold butter pieces one by one, shaking the
saucepan to blend them into the sauce. Off the heat, stir in the
parsley, chives and/or tarragon. Taste and adjust seasoning; if
necessary, add sugar to balance the wine's acidity. Spoon the
sauce over or around the steaks and serve.
• This recipe yields 4 servings.