Prior to this evening, I had never eaten Steak Diane. It is one of those dishes that one reads about in novels from the 60s and 70s. Flambéed and finished tableside, it is always introduced in books to connote sophistication on the part of a protagonist. Times have changed, people's palates have progressed and this is not a sophisticated dish in any way, though it is a good one if you are trying to dress-up steak (not that it really needs it).
I changed this dish a bit as I was using filet mignon and didn't want to finish cooking it in the sauce, I wanted a sear on the outside. I didn't have Cognac but thought Bourbon would add a nice smokiness and don't know why the inspiration recipe omitted this crucial step completely. I also couldn't understand why one would wipe the pan clean before making the sauce served this with Hasselback potatoes. These were pretty and made it seemed as if I had really tried to make a nice dinner but I think I will stick with baked potatoes from now on. Hasselbacks were a bit too much of a hassle (see what I've done there).
4 filet mignon steaks, 6-8 oz portions depending on appetite
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
2 tsps Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsps Cognac or Bourbon
1/3 cup cream
Salt and pepper
Melt 1 teaspoon of the butter in the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is sizzling hot, add the filets which you have previously salted and peppered generously. I cooked my meat for 3 minutes on each side for medium rare meat with a nice sear.
Remove the steaks from the pan and set aside to rest under a foil tent. Lower the heat under the pan. Add the shallots and the remaining butter and cook for a few minutes, stirring from time to time, until the shallots are translucent.
Pour your alcohol into a ladle. Hold it next to the gas burner until it catches on fire. Pour it into the shallot-butter mixture and wait until the flame subsides. I am sure that there is a simpler way of doing this but I found this method to work best and safely for me.
Stir in the mustard and the Worcestershire sauce. Add the cream and stir to combine. taste and adjust for seasoning.
As soon as the edges of the sauce are bubbling and the sauce has thickened, pour some over each of the steaks and serve with the side dishes of your choice.
Inspiration recipe, here.