Steak Diane

An old time Shaw family favourite.
The earliest mention of Steak Diane by that name is in Australia in 1940, when it was mentioned in an article about the Sydney restaurant Romano's as their signature dish. Romano's maître d'hôtel Tony Clerici said he invented it at his Mayfair (London) restaurant Tony's Grill in 1938 and named it in honor of Lady Diana Cooper.

Yield:
Serves 2
Category:
Beef
Cuisine:
British

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 beef tenderloin or strip loin steaks
  • salt
  • 2-4 tablespoons butter
  • 4 oz. cognac or brandy
  • 2 oz. dry sherry
  • Diane Sauce
  • 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator, salt them and let stand 15 - 30 minutes before cooking.
  2. Whisk together broth, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard and tomato paste; set aside.
  3. Melt the butter in a skillet set over medium-high heat. Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel. Increase the heat to high and sear the meat for 1-4 minutes, depending on how thick the steak is.
  4. Turn and sear on the other side. Use an instant read thermometer to check the doneness of the meat. Medium rare is 130 degrees F. When the steaks are done, move to a cutting board and tent with foil.
  5. While the meat is resting, sauté the shallots in the pan, 2 minutes on medium-high heat, stirring once or twice.
  6. Add the cognac and sherry to deglaze the pan. Increase the heat and cook until the alcohol is almost evaporated.
  7. Stir in the broth mixture and bring to a boil. Cook until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook for two more minutes. Serve and enjoy.

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