Serves 4
There is a good reason this famous dish prepared table-side in fancy French restaurants has been around so long. The buttery, tender fillet steaks are the perfect foil to the zesty sauce.
Irish Whiskey Pan Sauce for Steaks
INGREDIENTS
- 4 1- to 1¼-inch-thick fillet steaks (6–8 ounces each)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
- ¼ cup Irish whiskey or brandy
- ½ cup homemade beef stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ½ cup heavy cream
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook the Steaks
- Season each steak generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the butter, and when it begins to foam, add the steaks.
- Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the bottoms are nicely browned.
- Flip the steaks and cook for 3 minutes more, or until the internal temperature reaches 120°F to 125°F for rare.
- Transfer to a warm platter and tent with aluminum foil while you make the sauce.
- Make the Pan Sauce
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the shallots to the pan.
- Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Remove from the heat, add the whiskey, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Return to the heat, add the stock and Worcestershire, and bring to a boil.
- Whisk in the mustard, then the cream, and simmer, whisking, until the sauce is reduced to a syrupy consistency, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Season to taste with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Finish and Serve
- Return the steaks to the pan, spoon some sauce over the steaks, and rewarm them for about 1 minute.
- Serve at once.
Alternative Cuts: Boneless New York strip steaks, cut in half; boneless sirloin, culotte, rib-eye, baseball, petite tender, flat-iron, or rib-eye cap steaks.
Cook’s Note: This is a perfect dish to serve for a romantic dinner. Serve with oven-roasted potatoes and start with a green salad.
