New York Steak With Cognac Butter And Portabella Mushroom Ragout Food

NEW YORK STRIP STEAK WITH BRANDIED MUSHROOMS AND FRESH THYME

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until smoking. Sprinkle the steaks all over with salt and pepper. Put the steaks in the pan and cook, turning to brown all sides completely, until medium-rare, 8 to 10 minutes depending on how thick the steaks are. Remove the steaks to a platter with tongs and cover loosely with a tent of aluminum foil to keep the meat warm while you make the sauce.
• Put the saute pan back over medium-high heat and add 1/4 cup olive oil. When the oil is smoking, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, about 10 minutes, until golden brown. Then add the thyme and garlic, and season well with salt and pepper. Toss a few more times to cook the garlic, then dump the mushrooms out onto a platter. Take the pan off the heat, add the brandy, and cook until almost evaporated. Add the cream and cook that down 2 to 3 minutes until reduced by about one-half and thickened. Return the mushrooms to the pan with whatever juices have collected on the platter and simmer the whole thing another 2 minutes until thickened again. Season with salt and pepper.
• Slice the steak thin against the grain. Taste the sauce for salt and pepper and serve.

NEW YORK STEAK

Steps:

• Let the steaks rest for 30 minutes to come to room temperature. Salt and pepper to taste.
• In a medium sized skillet over medium high heat at the olive oil. Once it starts to smoke add the steaks to the skillet. Sear on all of the sides until they have a golden brown crust. Add the butter and let melt in the skillet. Add in the garlic and fresh sprigs.
• Reduce the heat to medium and let them cook until they reach the desired internal temperature. Spoon the butter over the steaks while they are cooking.

GARLIC BUTTER HERB STEAK AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil and butter, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and oregano. Cook for about 3 minutes or until tender. Remove and set aside on a plate.
• Turn the skillet to high heat. Add the steaks. Cook on each side for 3 minutes or until outside is browned. Reduce heat to medium-high. Cook the steaks to the desired doneness. Mine took about 10 minutes flipping 3 times to get a medium well.
• Right before the steaks are done, make the garlic butter compound. Mix the butter, garlic and fresh chopped herbs. Slather on top of steaks. Add the mushrooms back to the pan and heat through and let the butter melt into the steaks.

PAN-SEARED STRIP STEAK WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of each steak with salt and pepper. Cook 2 steaks at a time for 1 1/2 minutes per side for medium-rare. (Do not flip steaks more than once.) Add more oil if needed. Transfer to a plate. Cover, and let rest at least 5 minutes.
• Add mushrooms to drippings in skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4 minutes. Add stock and juices from plate to skillet. Bring to a boil, scraping up brown bits. Stir in mustard, and simmer until sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Pour sauce over steaks, and sprinkle with herbs.

NEW YORK STEAK WITH COGNAC BUTTER AND PORTABELLA MUSHROOM RAGOUT

Steps:

• To prepare the steaks: Rub steaks with garlic clove, salt and cracked pepper. Marinate in Worcestershire sauce for 1 hour minimum.
• To prepare the ragout: Grill mushrooms whole, then coursely chop into 1/2 inch cubes. Pour olive oil in pan, add mushrooms and shallots, and saute until soft. Add tomatoes, heavy cream, and stock. Simmer and reduce for about 10 minutes. Add herbs and seasonings and remove from heat. Keep warm if using immediately.
• To cook steaks and prepare cognac butter: Sear steaks in a heavy skillet on high heat to desired temperature, remove from heat. Add cognac and flame off, then whisk in the butter.
• Place mushroom ragout on plate. Cut steaks across the grain into 1/2 inch slices. Fan steaks on top of ragout and drizzle with cognac butter. Garnish as desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!

PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM RAGU

Steps:

• 1. Heat olive oil in a large casserole and saute the onions until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often.
• 2. Add garlic, saute for 1 minute, then stir in mushrooms and thyme. Continue to cook over high heat until the mushrooms have softened and given off their juices, 2 to 3 minutes.
• 3. Add tomatoes and cook until the mixture is thick, about 10 minutes. Serve over wheatberry, bulgur wheat pilaf or soft cornmeal polenta. Ragu can be cooled and refrigerated for up to 4 days, Garnish with additional thyme, if desired.

PORTOBELLO STEAKS

Steps:

• Remove stems and clean the mushrooms; set aside.
• Mix vinegar, Worcestershire, oil, garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.
• Place mushrooms inside a large zip-top bag. Pour in the marinade and turn the bag so the mushrooms get evenly coated. Let sit in a refrigerator for a minimum of 5 minutes, or up to 12 hours.
• Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and heat over high heat. Grill mushrooms in the hot pan until heated through and browned, about 4 minutes per side.

SAUTEED MUSHROOMS WITH COGNAC

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; swirl in half of oil and half of butter. Add half of mushrooms and half of thyme; cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have released most of their moisture and become golden, about 14 minutes. Add half of cognac and cook, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl.
• Repeat with second half of all ingredients. Return first batch to skillet until heated through before serving.

STEAKS WITH MUSHROOM GRAVY

Steps:

• Pat steaks dry with paper towel. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
• Heat a lightly oiled skillet or pan (or barbecue) on high heat until just beginning to smoke. Cook steaks for 3 minutes each side or until cooked to your liking. Rest for 5 minutes.
• Heat remaining oil in the skillet. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent, then add the garlic and cook for a further 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
• Add the sliced mushrooms into the skillet and cook for 3 minutes until golden and beginning to soften.
• Reduce heat to medium and melt butter in the skillet. Add flour and cook while stirring for 1 minute, allowing the flour to brown slightly.
• Slowly and gradually add in the beef broth (or stock), while stirring. Allow to simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add the steaks back into the gravy in the pan along with the juices on the plate OR serve steaks with the onion mushroom gravy on the side. Garnish with chopped thyme, parsley or rosemary if desired.

NEW YORK STRIP STEAK WITH COGNAC BUTTER AND PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM RAGOUT

Steps:

• To prepare the steaks: Rub steaks with garlic clove, salt and cracked pepper. Marinate in Worcestershire sauce for 1 hour, minimum.
• To prepare the ragout: Grill mushrooms whole, then coarsely chop into 3/4-inch cubes. Pour olive oil in pan, add mushrooms and shallots, and saute until soft. Add tomatoes, heavy cream, and stock. Simmer and reduce for about 10 minutes. Add herbs and seasonings and remove from heat. Keep warm if using immediately.
• To cook steaks and prepare cognac butter: Sear steaks in a heavy skillet on high heat to desired temperature, remove from heat. Add cognac and flame off, then whisk in the butter.
• Place mushroom ragout on plate. Cut steaks across the grain into 1/2-inch slices. Fan steaks on top of ragout and drizzle with cognac butter. Garnish as desired. Serve immediately.

PORTOBELLO 'STEAK' AU POIVRE

Steps:

• Brush the mushrooms all over with olive oil. Sprinkle the pepper evenly over the gill sides (about 1/2 teaspoon per mushroom). Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high, then add the mushrooms gill side up and sear until the underside is browned and the gill side looks wet, 3 to 6 minutes. Flip and cook until golden and the pepper is fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Flip the mushrooms so they're gill side up, then add the butter and garlic, and season with salt. While stirring the garlic to keep it from scorching, tilt the skillet to spoon up the melting butter and baste the mushrooms until tender, 2 to 5 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate, leaving the butter in the skillet.
• Add the shallot and stir until softened, 2 to 4 minutes, adding a little more butter if the pan is dry. Stand back, and carefully add the Cognac. (It might flame.) Stir until the Cognac has nearly evaporated. Add the heavy cream and mustard, season with salt, and stir to combine. Return the mushrooms to the pan gill side down, and cook until the cream is thickened and the color of a latte, 2 to 4 minutes. Eat the mushrooms with a drizzle of the sauce.

MUSHROOM RAGOUT

Steps:

• Pour beef broth into a saucepan and add bouillon cube. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer for at least 30 minutes. Set aside 3 tablespoons for ragout; store remaining broth in the refrigerator for another use.
• Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add 1/2 teaspoon oil. Add portobello mushrooms and sear, 3 to 5 minutes. Set portabellos aside.
• Sear shiitake mushrooms over medium-high heat in the same pan without adding more oil, 3 to 5 minutes. Set shiitakes aside.
• Reheat the same pan over medium-high heat and add remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Add garlic and cook until browned, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and wine; cook for 2 minutes. Add reserved beef broth and cook for 3 minutes.
• Stir portabello and shiitake mushrooms into the pan and cook, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in butter gently until ragout is coated. Top with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

PANFRIED FLANK STEAK WITH MUSHROOM RAGOûT

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 200°F.
• Pat steak dry. Mix together salt and pepper in a small bowl, then rub three fourths of salt mixture on both sides of steak.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté meat, turning over once, 6 to 8 minutes total for rare (depending on thickness of steak). Transfer to a baking pan and keep warm in oven while making ragout.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in uncleaned skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté garlic, rosemary, and red-pepper flakes, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and remaining salt mixture and sauté, stirring frequently and scraping up any brown bits, until mushrooms are tender but still juicy, 6 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juice and sugar, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by about two thirds, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Transfer steak to a cutting board and pour any meat juices from baking pan into mushroom ragout. Holding knife at a 45-degree angle, cut steak across the grain into thin slices. Serve topped with ragout.

HOW TO MAKE STEAK

Steps:

• There are few faster, easier and more impressive ways to get dinner on the table than to sauté a juicy steak over a hot flame, then whisking together a sauce from the coppery drippings at the bottom of the pan. Although the technique for making pan sauce is used here with beef, it is easily adaptable to all sorts of meats, including pork, lamb, chicken, veal and even fish.A proper pan sauce begins with browning the meat. The pan needs to be hot enough to sear the meat and cause the Maillard reaction, which is the caramelizing of the amino acids and sugars in food. After the meat is cooked to taste, it is removed from the pan, leaving behind a seared-on layer of browned bits called the fond. The fond is culinary gold, containing an incredible savory character that forms the foundation of the sauce. To access that meaty flavor, the fond needs to be dissolved into a liquid; this is called deglazing the pan. Technically, any liquid can be used, and water and stock frequently are. But something alcoholic and acidic, such as wine, is better at extracting the flavors. A classic method of building a pan sauce, which we use here, is to develop the flavors in stages. First, brandy is used to deglaze the pan, then wine and stock are added and simmered down until syrupy. At the very end, butter is whisked into the pan to thicken the sauce, giving it a silky texture that helps it cling to the steak for serving. Other liquids can stand in for the brandy, wine and stock: fruit and vegetable juices, cream or milk, condiments like soy sauce and chile paste, vinegars and spirits. Once you've learned this adaptable technique, you will always be able to whisk up a fast and pungent pan sauce from whatever fond your pan has produced.
• Since the earliest bovines met the spears of our ancestors, steaks have been prepared pretty much the same way. The cuts were grilled over a fire to quickly sear what many consider to be the choicest, most tender part of the animal. (By contrast, think of the stewing, braising and roasting necessary for larger and tougher cuts.)Innovations in pans and the creation of the modern stove have changed things slightly, but the goal is the same, which is to brown the outside of the meat while preserving the juiciness of the middle. This can be done on green wooden sticks or hot rocks, over a grill, or in a metal or earthenware pan.But the sauce accompanying this steak has had a more varied history. And it's one that exemplifies the evolution of French cuisine over the centuries.The earliest European sauces, which date to ancient times, were distinct from the meat, fish or vegetables with which they were served, prepared separately and from their own set of ingredients. The reasons were medicinal, rather than for the sake of taste. Based on the theory of humorism, a sauce was meant to balance out the intrinsic qualities of other ingredients in the dish to create a harmonious and health-giving meal. Pork, which was considered to be inherently moist and cold, might be paired with spicy, acidic sauces, to counter any potential upset of humors in the person eating it. By the 17th century, a new French cuisine had begun to emerge. The focus shifted to enhancing the natural taste of foods rather than smothering them in spices and vinegars for purported health benefits. The ancestors of modern French sauces can be found in cookbooks from that era, in which herbs replaced spices, wine and stock eased the reliance on vinegar and verjus, and flour and butter roux, rather than bread crumbs, were used as thickeners. The practice of deglazing a pan of roasted meats to make the base for an elaborate sauce grew in popularity.Over time sauces became richer and more voluptuous, beaten with butter, eggs and flour to achieve a thick and satiny consistency. In the 1830s, Marie-Antoine Carême first wrote about four mother sauces: espagnole (a demi-glace-based brown sauce), velouté (a stock-based sauce thickened with roux), béchamel (a creamy milk-based sauce) and allemande (a velouté thickened with eggs and cream). Auguste Escoffier would later refine Carême's classification, demoting allemande to a subset of velouté and adding tomato sauce and hollandaise to the list.These mother sauces remained central in French kitchens until the birth of the nouvelle cuisine movement of the 1960s. As the country's top chefs worked to simplify the national cuisine, they moved away from heavy sauces. (One of the 10 commandments for the movement, laid out in a 1973 article by the pioneering restaurant critics Henri Gault and Christian Millau, "Vive la Nouvelle Cuisine Francaise": "You will eliminate rich sauces.") Rather than relying on roux as thickeners, French chefs turned to the lighter touch of lemon juice, butter and herbs.That approach lives on. Instead of deglazing a pan to use the resulting liquid in an intricate sauce, cooks now savor the mixture as a simple yet elegant sauce in its own right.Above, a depiction of a Paris provision shop in 1871, from The Illustrated London News.
• Stainless steel pan These are best for cooking pan sauces with a good dose of acidity; enamel-lined pans also work well. Carbon steel and cast iron pans are reactive and could discolor the sauce, though this isn't a deal breaker, so if that is all you've got, use it. But do avoid nonstick pans. Your drippings, upon which the sauce is built, won't brown nearly as well.Meat thermometer It is worthwhile to learn how to test your steak for doneness with your fingers, but it also helps to have a good meat thermometer. Digital thermometers will give you a more exact reading, and they usually work very quickly.Wirecutter, a product recommendations website owned by The New York Times Company, has guides to the best skillets and digital meat thermometers.
• You can use any cut of steak, either bone-in or boneless, to make this classic French bistro dish. Make sure to open a good bottle of red wine for the pan sauce, preferably one that you're happy to finish off with dinner.
• There's more to searing a steak than a hot pan and a good piece of meat, though that is the right place to start. And learning how to use the drippings for a fast pan sauce will help you make the most out of every meal, whether you're cooking steaks, chops, fish or chicken.The French butcher the cow differently from the English and Americans. They divide tough and tender meats, creating high-quality cuts like fillets from the sirloin region (chateaubriand being the thickest, then tournedos, faux filet and the thinnest, filet mignon) and entrecôte from the fore rib region. One of the most desired French cuts is the onglet (hanger steak), cut just below the sirloin region. This said, you can use any good steak in this recipe, either a boneless or bone-in cut. Boneless cuts take less time to cook, so start checking them for doneness before you'd check bone-in meat. Filet mignon, cut from the tenderloin, will give you the softest and most tender meat, but has less fat (and less flavor) than other cuts. Rib-eye and other sirloin cuts are a little chewier, but have a deeper, beefier flavor. You could also use a thinner steak (hanger, strip, flank), but watch them closely so they don't overcook.• You need some fat on your steak. Look for marbling. Fat equals flavor, both for the meat itself and also for the pan sauce.• Seasoning the steak at least 15 minutes before cooking (and up to 24 hours if you keep it in the refrigerator) gives the meat time to absorb the salt evenly. If you season it several hours in advance, you can press herbs and-or minced garlic all over the surface of the steak, then wipe it off just before cooking so nothing burns.• Cooking steak in butter gives the meat excellent flavor. But since butter can burn, it is often combined with a little grapeseed oil, which raises its smoking point. Or you can use all oil if you prefer. Clarified butter and ghee also work well.• For optimal browning, which results in a flavorful pan sauce, get your skillet very hot before adding the meat, letting it heat for at least 3 to 5 minutes. A drop of water should immediately sizzle when flicked into the pan.• The timing of your steak depends on the skillet, your stove and the temperature of the meat when it hits the pan. For rare steak, cook to 120 degrees; medium-rare is 130 degrees. Learn how meat cooked to those temperatures feels when you tap its surface with your fingers, and then use that to guide you in future cooking. For medium-rare, the meat should offer some resistance but not feel firm, which indicates a well-done steak. Rare meat is a bit softer.• Rest your steaks before slicing them. Put the meat on a cutting board and tent with foil. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. This helps the meat reabsorb the juices and will also raise the temperature slightly. Do this every time you cook steak; it's always a good idea to keep those juices.• You must cook the steaks and the sauce in immediate succession, and just before serving. Once you start this recipe, there isn't much waiting around. If you're making this for a dinner party, do not start cooking the steaks until all your guests arrive.• The alcohol in wine and brandy helps dissolve and release the pan drippings, extracting their flavor. While you can also deglaze a pan with stock or water, it won't be as intensely flavorful. Much of the alcohol cooks off as the sauce simmers.• To quickly cook off much of the alcohol in the brandy, light it with a long match or igniter. Just make sure to step back before you do. The flame should die down in a few seconds. If you really don't want to set the alcohol on fire, you can simmer it down for a few minutes instead.• Letting the liquids in your pan simmer until they are thick and syrupy is central to getting a silky sauce. Be sure to let them reduce before whisking in the butter and any herbs.• If at any point your sauce separates and you can't seem to whisk it together into a smooth, emulsified liquid, scrape it into a blender and whirl it for a few seconds. That should fix it.
• A pan sauce is easy to make, but it does require last-minute attention. Here are three sauces than can be prepared ahead of time and go deliciously with the seared steak above. Like hollandaise sauce, one of the mother sauces of French cuisine, Béarnaise is based on an emulsion of butter and egg yolks. It is seasoned with vinegar, tarragon and shallots for a savory edge. To make it: Melt 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter; set aside. In a heavy-bottomed, nonreactive skillet, combine 3 tablespoons white-wine vinegar, 1/4 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth, 1 tablespoon minced shallots, 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon or chives, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper and a pinch of salt. Simmer until the liquid has reduced to 2 tablespoons. Let cool. In the meantime, beat 3 egg yolks until they're thick and sticky, about 1 minute. Strain the vinegar mixture into the egg yolks, and beat until combined. Add 1 tablespoon of cold butter, but do not beat it in.Scrape egg mixture back into skillet, and place it over very low heat. Stir egg yolks with a wire whisk until they slowly thicken, about 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in another tablespoon of cold butter, then beat in melted butter in a slow, steady stream until sauce thickens; consistency should be like mayonnaise. (You may not need all the butter.) Taste and correct seasoning, and beat in 2 tablespoons fresh, minced parsley. Serve the sauce warm, not hot. It will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. Easily made in less than five minutes, this piquant, creamy sauce can be stirred together a few days in advance and gets even better as it sits (which it can do for up to 3 days). To make it: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup crème fraîche, 2 tablespoons white horseradish, 1 tablespoon minced chives, 1 teaspoon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. A decadently rich combination of butter, garlic and herbs, a small slice of compound butter goes a long way on a steak. And leftovers freeze perfectly for up to six months. To make it: In a bowl, mash together 1 stick softened unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon minced shallots or 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or rosemary, 1 tablespoon minced parsley or chives, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt. Spoon the butter onto a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap, form into a log and wrap well. Chill for at least 3 hours before using.
• Photography Food styling: Alison Attenborough. Prop styling: Beverley Hyde. Additional photography: Karsten Moran for The New York Times. Additional styling: Jade Zimmerman.VideoFood styling: Chris Barsch and Jade Zimmerman. Art direction: Alex Brannian. Prop styling: Catherine Pearson. Director of photography: James Herron. Camera operators: Tim Wu and Zack Sainz. Editing: Will Lloyd and Adam Saewitz. Additional editing: Meg Felling.
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