Steak Diane (Recipe 126 of 150)

Tonight I add another favorite to the list for 2022. Steak Diane. I wasn't sure what to expect of this dish and I was not disappointed in the complex, yummy flavors. 

I didn't know much about Steak Diane and I had a feeling it was popular in the 60's or 70's. It just felt like that kind of recipe. 

If you don't know Steak Diane is, in fact, from the 50's and 60's. It was served in upscale restaurants where the "show" of dinner was all the rage. The waiter would "flambé" the meal and impress everyone at the table. 

This recipe comes together quickly. You really should have all your ingredients measured and ready to go. This is not a recipe to cut and measure as you go.

A few changes I made in an attempt to use what I had. I had beef already cut in strips from another recipe I didn't make, so I used that instead of steak medallions. Frankly, I kinda like this better. 

I had a shallot, but it was, apparently, old. I didn't expect it to be moldy on the inside, but alas. I used a fine chopped yellow onion. I am not a super taster so I can't really say whether a shallot would change the flavor greatly or not.  

I served this over mashed potatoes. Though as I was eating this I thought, if I kept the beef broth out and just went with the brandy and heavy cream, that would be FANTASTIC over pasta. Am I right? 

Here's some history I found on the interwebs:

History:  Steak Diane was very popular in the 1950’s and early 1960’s, especially in New York city in upscale restaurants prepared table side with its theatrics arising from the flambéing of the cognac used to make the sauce.  It was supposedly named after the Roman goddess, Diana or Diane.  Diana was the Goddess of the Hunt and also Goddess of the Moon.  Steak Diane was originally a way of serving venison.

Steak Diane

Recipe from Just a Pinch

Serves 4

Ingredients For Steak Diane

• 3 T butter
• 1 1/2 lb beef tenderloin medallions cut about 3/4 inch thick
• 1 T olive oil
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2/3 c finely sliced shallots
• 3 clove garlic minced
• 1/3 c brandy
• 1/3 c heavy cream
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 c low sodium beef broth
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh chopped Italian parsley [JW note: I rarely waste my $$ on parsley. It's really just for presentation and I really don't need that.]

Lightly salt and pepper the tenderloins. In skillet over medium heat melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add steak and brown well on both sides. Remove steak to plate.

Turn heat to medium high and add remaining butter and olive oil to skillet. Add mushrooms and spread them out so that as many as possible are exposed to the heat. Cook until golden brown stirring a couple of times. Add shallots and cook another 2 minutes; stirring a couple of times. Reduce heat to medium low. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds; stirring continuously.

Turn off the burner and add brandy. Be very careful as alcohol fumes can ignite. Turn the heat on medium low and continue cooking until reduced by half. Whisk in the cream, Worcestershire Sauce and mustard; cooking for 2-3 minutes. Whisk in the beef broth, salt and pepper to taste. Return beef to the pan and heat for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.