Pan Seared Strip Steak with Burgundy Mushroom Sauce

French food is notoriously difficult to cook. There are often many ingredients, complicated methods, and expert presentation. However, everyone would love to master French cooking.




My Pan Seared Strip Strip Steak with Burgundy Mushroom Sauce is hardly an authentic French dish, but it is certainly French-inspired. It is very easy to make, but has tons of delicious flavor. Bon appetit!


Ingredients:

• 1 strip steak. You could also use a ribeye or skirt steak if you'd like.

• 1/2 carton button mushrooms. I used button because they are inexpensive, but if you are cooking for company, you might want to try wild mushrooms for some added flair and flavor.

• 1 shallot, minced

• 1/3 cup Burgundy wine. Any dark red wine will suffice, but I like the Burgundy cause it sounds Frenchy.

• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard. This adds a nice creaminess to the sauce.

• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, plus some sprigs of thyme to garnish. If using dried thyme, 1/2 tbsp. will suffice.

• Coarse sea salt to taste. You can use regular salt if you must, but the coarse grains of sea salt add a nice bit of crunch to the steak.

• Garlic pepper to taste

• Olive oil

This dish is like a little black dress: simple, elegant, and never goes out of style. You can dress it up or dress it down. And, if you pull it off right, it can even help snag you a date! Enjoy :)


Directions:

Prep time! Peel and mince your shallot and slice up your mushrooms.




The key to making this steak delicious is getting a nice seared crust on the outside. Three great tips for accomplishing this:

1) Take your steak out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature first. This will help it cook evenly.

2) Pat the steak dry with a paper towel on both sides. Removing all moisture ensures the steak will sear, rather than steam.

3) Let the oil in your pan get nice and hot first. Don't jump the gun here!





Once your steak is ready to go, drizzle a bit of olive oil in a pan and let it heat up on medium high until the oil is slightly smokin'. Make sure to turn on the fan above your oven!

Lay your steak down in the pan and DON'T MOVE IT!! Let it sit there for about 3 minutes and develop a nice dark crust. Generously season the side up with the salt and garlic pepper.





Once the side against the pan has developed a nice sear, flip it and season the other side with salt and garlic pepper. Let it continue cooking for another couple minutes depending on the thickness of your steak and how well you like it done. Keep in mind that the steak will continue to cook a bit after you remove it from the heat.





Take the steak out of the pan and cover it with foil on a plate to keep it warm. Letting it "rest" while you make the sauce will help your steak stay nice and juicy.

Add a bit more olive oil to the pan and throw in your shallots and mushrooms.





Once the shallots and mushrooms are nicely golden, add your wine. In addition to the flavor it adds, the wine will help "deglaze" the pan, or incorporate all those tasty burned bits of steak stuck to the pan.

Let things simmer for a couple minutes, and then add your Dijon mustard and thyme leaves. Thyme and mushrooms are a match made in culinary heaven!





Let the sauce cook and thicken for a few more minutes until it coats the back of a spoon. Slice your steak and put it on a plate, top with the mushrooms and sauce, and garnish with some sprigs of thyme.




Vive le France!