Simple Beef Steak Diane

 

I wanted to showcase something special for New Years Eve that I thought all my readers might enjoy.  I had a lovely looking steak in the freezer and to me, having a steak is really a special treat and so I took it out and then looked for a delicious way to cook it.

I saw this tasty looking Beef Steak Diane recipe on Simply Recipes and adapted it for my own use here in The English Kitchen. Steak Diane is not anything that I had ever cooked before.  It is a very retro type of recipe having been very popular back in the 1930's. At one time it was considered to be the epitome of elegance.

 

It is thought that the name Diane is taken from the Roman Goddess of the Hunt called Diana.  One thing for sure is this is a steak recipe that is not in the least bit complicated, being very easy to execute and this version is even simpler than most in that it requires no flambéing in order to get the authentic flavor of Steak Diane.

I had done a version of it previously which I had taken from the book entitled Chatelaine's Adventures in cooking. You can find that one here.  That version used mushrooms and was very good.

This version is even simpler. It doesn't use mushrooms. You probably have everything you need to make it in the house right now. It is simple and easy to make and oh so tasty! Nothing says it's a celebration like a really well-prepared and cooked steak! 

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO COOK SIMPLE BEEF STEAK DIANE

Simple ingredients and a good steak. I know I say that all the time, but it's true. I always try to eat affordably and using things that are easy for most people to procure.

• 2 (6 ounce/170g) center cut beef tenderloin steaks, or another cut of your choice
• Coarse sea salt
• 1/2 cup (120ml) beef stock
• 4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp tomato paste (known as tomato puree in the U.K.)
• 2 TBS butter
• 2 banana shallots, peeled and finely minced (alternately you can use a small onion peeled and minced along with 1 clove of garlic) (1/2 cup in total)
• 4 TBS brandy or cognac
• 1/3 cup (80ml) heavy cream
• fresh ground black pepper
• minced chives to garnish

 

I used a New York Strip loin steak that was 1-inch thick. It was generous enough to easily feed two people.  

I didn't have shallots as the original recipe required, so I just replaced the shallots with a mix of finely minced sweet onion and a clove of garlic, finely minced. I felt that this would give the same taste result of shallots, which have a mild onion/garlic flavor, and are somewhat sweet.

I still had brandy left from my Christmas cake and this was a beautiful recipe to use some of it in. It adds a lovely depth of flavor. If you don't want to use alcohol, just use additional stock.

I used whipping cream. In the U.K. I would use double cream.

I did not have any fresh chives, but I had some dehydrated ones which I rehydrated with some boiling water, pressing the water out of them and then sprinkling them over the steak as best as I could.

 

HOW TO MAKE SIMPLE BEEF STEAK DIANE

This is not a difficult recipe to execute. I always try to present things in such a way as my daughter can understand to cook it.  As a learning challenged adult, she does remarkably well and if I take the opportunity to spell things out with exactness, then she can usually cook everything I post!

Take your steak out of the refrigerator at least half an hour prior to cooking it. Season it generously on both side with salt and leave to sit for the duration.

While the steak is sitting whisk together the beef broth, mustard, tomato puree, and Worcestershire sauce.

Pat the steaks dry on both sides. (I use paper towels.)

Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed skillet until it begins to foam. Add the steaks and increase the heat to high. Sear on both sides, 1-4 minutes per side depending on the thickness of your steaks and how well you like it done. (See the finger test for doneness above/below)

 

When done remove the steaks to a cutting board and leave to rest, lightly tented while you make the sauce.

Add the shallots to the skillet. Sauté 2 minutes on medium high heat, stirring. Add the brandy/cognac and deglaze the pan. Increase the heat and cook stirring, until the brandy has almost evaporated.

Add the beef broth mixture. Stir and cook for 2 to 3 minutes at a boil. Whisk in the cream and cook for 2 minutes longer until you have a beautiful thick sauce.

Serve the steaks with some of the Diane sauce drizzled over top along with a grinding of black pepper and a sprinkle of chives.

 

The finger test is the easiest and simplest way to test your steaks for doneness. The further your thumb has to move across your hand, the more resilient the ball of the muscle becomes.

The amount of resistance felt by your opposing finger when compared against the same finger pressed onto your meat is an excellent gauge in guessing as to how done your meat is. 

 First finger stage: for blue meat and lightly cooked fish. 

 Touch your thumb to its opposing first finger and press the ball of your thumb with the tip of a finger of the other hand, the ball will offer no resistance. The surface should be seared in steak, and firm, and the beads of meat juice not yet risen to the surface. The meat is rare to almost blue when cut with a mild flavor. 

  Second finger stage: for rare meat. 

 Touch your second finger to your thumb and press the ball of your thumb. The ball will feel spongy. The meat should be well browned and spongy when pressed in the center. It should be firm at the sides and any beads of juice on the surface should be deep pink. The meat when cut is read, juicy and aromatic. 

Third finger stage: For medium cooked meat, game or duck, or well-done fish. 

 Touch your third finger to your thumb and press the ball of your thumb. The ball will feel resilient. The surface should be crusty brown and the meat should resist when the centre is pressed. Firm at the side, the juices on the surface should be pink, and when cut the meat is juicy, deep pink and well flavored. 

  Fourth finger stage: For well-done meat, or poultry. 

 Touch your fourth finger to your thumb and press the ball of your thumb. The ball will feel firm. The surface of the meat will be crusty brown and dry and the meat will feel quite firm when touched in the center. Beads of juice on the surface of the meat will be clear and when cut no pink juices will be visible. 

 

Never having had Steak Diane in a restaurant before I really cannot say how authentic this steak was, but I can tell you it was tender and juicy, beautifully cooked and that sauce was to die for.  I tasted it in the pan and could hardly wait to have it spooned over my steak.

If you are looking for a simple steak dish that has anything but simple flavors, then this is the one you want to go for!  Happy New Year! 

  

If you enjoy a good steak as much as I do, you might also enjoy the following delicious recipes!

PAN SEARED STEAK WITH GARLIC BUTTER - This Pan-Seared Steak has a garlic rosemary-infused butter that makes it taste like you are eating at a quality steak-house! You’ll be impressed by how very easy it is to cook the perfect steak, beautifully seared and caramelized on the outside, and perfectly juicy inside. That garlic butter is the perfect complement. 

SIRLOIN STEAK WITH A GINGER BUTTER SAUCE - This steak gets a simple treatment.  Room temperature.  Patted dry. Chinese five spice and black pepper rubbed into the surface before searing to perfection. The sauce is sublime . . .  delicious. Simple ingredients done very well. 

Yield: 2 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Simple Beef Steak Diane

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 30 Min

This is a beautiful dish with lovely flavors. Perfectly cooked steak with a delicious brandy sauce. This is fabulously tasty and more than a bit special. You can use beef tenderloin steaks or any other cut of your choice. I used New York Strip Loin. This is a small batch recipe

Ingredients

• 2 (6 ounce/170g) center cut beef tenderloin steaks, or another cut of your choice
• Coarse sea salt
• 1/2 cup (120ml) beef stock
• 4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp tomato paste (known as tomato puree in the U.K.)
• 2 TBS butter
• 2 banana shallots, peeled and finely minced (alternately you can use a small onion peeled and minced along with 1 clove of garlic) (1/2 cup in total)
• 4 TBS brandy or cognac
• 1/3 cup (80ml) heavy cream
• fresh ground black pepper
• minced chives to garnish

Instructions

1. Take your steak out of the refrigerator at least half an hour prior to cooking it. Season it generously on both side with salt and leave to sit for the duration.
2. While the steak is sitting whisk together the beef broth, mustard, tomato puree, and Worcestershire sauce.
3. Pat the steaks dry on both sides.
4. Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed skillet until it begins to foam. Add the steaks and increase the heat to high. Sear on both sides, 1-4 minutes per side depending on the thickness of your steaks and how well you like it done. (See the finger test for doneness above/below)
5. When done remove the steaks to a cutting board and leave to rest, lightly tented while you make the sauce.
6. Add the shallots to the skillet. Sauté 2 minutes on medium high heat, stirring. Add the brandy/cognac and deglaze the pan. Increase the heat and cook stirring, until the brandy has almost evaporated.
7. Add the beef broth mixture. Stir and cook for 2 to 3 minutes at a boil. Whisk in the cream and cook for 2 minutes longer until you have a beautiful thick sauce.
8. Serve the steaks with some of the Diane sauce drizzled over top along with a grinding of black pepper and a sprinkle of chives.

Did you make this recipe?

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