Beef | Saveur

Dibi Hausa (Senegalese Grilled Beef Kebabs)

Pierre Thiam — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 21:18:40 +0000

Belle Morizio. Belle Morizio

This recipe, which appeared in Adrian Miller’s book, Black Smoke, is adapted from beef kebabs made by chef Pierre Thiam, a Senegal native, who is doing much to educate Americans about the food of his native country. It’s also a great way to get a taste of West African barbecue in a short period of time. Though this recipe calls for beef, you can use any other meat or vegetable to achieve delicious results. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for an hour before using. The tankora spice mix will last up to two months stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Featured in “The Real Star Of West African-Style Grilling? This DIY-Friendly Seasoning” by Adrian Miller.

Yield: 4

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the tankora powder:

1 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts, crushed to a fine powder
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
½ tsp. ground cayenne pepper

For the kebabs:

1 lb. round steak, sliced into strips about 1½ by 2 by ⅜ in.
2 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. finely grated white or yellow onion
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
½ tsp. finely chopped garlic
¼ tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
1 chicken bouillon cube, crumbled (optional)
1 Tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil
1 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. kosher salt

Instructions

Make the tankora powder: In a small bowl, stir together the peanuts, ginger, salt, white pepper, and cayenne; set aside.
Prepare the kebabs: Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high. To a large bowl, add the steak, onion, tomato paste, garlic, ginger, and bouillon cube (if desired); toss to combine. Add the oil, white pepper, cayenne, and salt and toss to coat the meat evenly in the seasonings. Set aside to marinate for 10–15 minutes.
Thread a few slices of meat onto eight 6-inch skewers. Pour the reserved tankora powder onto a wide plate and roll each skewer in it, evenly coating all sides and shaking off any excess. Using a pastry brush, brush a bit more of the remaining marinade over each skewer. Transfer to the grill and cook, turning occasionally and basting with the marinade, until the meat is seared and browned all over and cooked through, 12–14 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

The post Dibi Hausa (Senegalese Grilled Beef Kebabs) appeared first on Saveur.

Grilled Porterhouse Steaks with Garlic and Miso

Tadashi Ono — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:42:44 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Tyna Hoang. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Tyna Hoang

A marinade of red miso, ginger, and garlic gives these steaks a crisp, flavorful crust and a juicy interior. Serve them with chef and cookbook author Tadashi Ono’s Grilled Tomatoes with Soy Sauce and Yuzu Kosho.

Featured in “The Japanese Grill.”

Yield: 4

Time: 35 minutes

Two 1½-in.-thick bone-in porterhouse steaks (3½ lb.)
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup red miso
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
8 garlic cloves, grated
One 2-in. piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

Instructions

Place the steaks in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the soy sauce, miso, oils, black pepper, garlic, and ginger. Pour three-quarters of the marinade over the steaks, reserving the remaining marinade, then cover the dish with plastic wrap and set aside for 10 minutes.
Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high, then bank the coals or turn off the burner on one side. Add the steaks to the hottest part of the grill and cook without flipping until browned, about 1 minute. Move the steaks to the cooler part of the grill and cook until juices appear on top of the steaks, about 4 minutes. Flip the steaks, return to the hottest part of grill, and, using a brush, baste with the reserved marinade. Continue grilling, flipping and brushing every few minutes, until the meat is caramelized and begins to shrink away from the bone, 10–12 minutes for medium rare or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the steaks reads 125°F. (If the outside of the steaks begins to burn before the inside is cooked, move them to the cooler section of the grill and continue grilling until cooked to desired doneness.) Remove the steaks from the grill and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. To serve, slice against the grain along the bone.

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Pimento Cheese Burgers

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:40:46 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Pimento cheese is a popular burger topping in and around Columbia, South Carolina, where it‘s often called a PC burger. According to the Southern food expert John T. Edge in his book Hamburgers & Fries: An American Story, “Every third joint serves one, and at least half of them are good.” Dolloped atop a hot grilled patty, the piquant spread of cheddar, pimentos, mayo, and spices melts and blends beautifully with charred beef. The cheese gives so much flavor to the burger that you won’t need ketchup or mustard.

Featured in “Doing It Their Way” by Adam Kuban.

Yield: 4

Time: 30 minutes

4 oz. sharp yellow cheddar, grated (about 1 cup)
3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. finely grated onion
1 Tbsp. finely chopped jarred pimentos, or other roasted red peppers
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1½ lb. ground beef, formed into 4 equal-size patties
4 hamburger buns, toasted
Iceberg lettuce and sliced tomatoes, for serving

Instructions

In a medium bowl, stir together the cheddar, mayonnaise, onion, pimentos, and Worcestershire sauce. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, then set aside.
Season the beef patties to taste with salt and black pepper. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high. (Alternatively, to a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.) Grill the patties, flipping once, until cooked to desired doneness, about 10 minutes for medium-rare.
Spread 2 tablespoons of pimento cheese over each patty, cover, and allow to melt. Arrange the bottom buns on plates, layer with the patties, tomatoes, lettuce, and top buns, and serve immediately.

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Summer Bolognese

Donna Hay — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:41:42 +0000

Photo: Matt Taylor-Gross • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Matt Taylor-Gross • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

This recipe for summer bolognese has all the comfort of the classic pasta but without the heaviness of a red sauce, instead embracing the season’s bounty of gorgeous tomatoes and fresh basil. The simple yet stunning dish is adapted from Australian cookbook author and magazine publisher Donna Hay’s The New Classics. It‘s quite literally the kind of recipe that makes you want to jump up and start cooking immediately.

Buy the SAVEUR Selects Enameled Cast Iron 4½-Quart Braiser here.

Yield: 4–6

Time: 30 minutes

Kosher salt
1 lb. spaghetti
¼ cup olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp. crushed red chile flakes (or substitute 3 red Thai chiles, finely chopped)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. sugar
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 lb. mixed cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup Ligurian or kalamata olives
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Freshly grated parmesan, for serving

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water, then toss the spaghetti with 3 tablespoons of the oil. Keep warm.
Meanwhile, to a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the beef, thyme, chile flakes, thyme, and garlic, and cook, breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon, until the beef is browned, 5–7 minutes. Add the tomato paste and sugar, season to taste with salt and black pepper, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until it has almost evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar, lemon zest and juice, and spaghetti, and toss to combine. Add the tomatoes, olives, and reserved pasta water, and cook for about 2 minutes more.
Transfer to a platter, garnish with basil, and serve with parmesan.

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Basque Oxtail Stew

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:50:05 +0000

Photo: Matt Taylor-Gross • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Centuries of Basque immigrant culture are distilled into a meal at Bakersfield, California’s Wool Growers restaurant, where lunch is a parade of rib-sticking French Basque dishes. First, vegetable soup chock-full of cabbage and leeks; stewed pinto beans; a tomatoey “hot sauce.” Then marinated tomatoes, mixed greens, and a creamy slab of blue cheese. Finally, meat: tender beef tongue in a parsley-packed vinaigrette, or this oxtail stew loaded with sweet carrots and thickened with beurre manié, a mixture of softened butter and flour. Solid, satisfying, lovable: it’s just how we want this old-world cuisine to be.

Featured in the January/February 2014 issue.

Order the SAVEUR Selects Tri-ply Stainless Steel 8-Quart Stock Pot here.

Yield: 4–6

Time: 4 hours

4 lb. oxtails, trimmed of excess fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cups dry red wine
6 cups chicken stock
One 8-oz. can tomato sauce
6 medium carrots, cut into ½-in. pieces
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

Season the oxtails to taste with salt and black pepper. In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil until it’s hot and shimmering. Working in batches, add the oxtails and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 8–10 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the oxtails to a plate and set aside.
Add the garlic and onion to the pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 6–8 minutes. Add the wine and continue cooking, stirring and scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until reduced by a third, 3–5 minutes.
Return the oxtails to the pot, add the stock and tomato sauce, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and simmer until the oxtails are tender, 2½–3 hours.
Uncover the pot and return to a simmer. Add the carrots and cook until tender, 15–20 minutes.
To a small bowl, add the butter and flour. Using your fingers or a fork, knead or mash the mixture until the flour is fully incorporated and a smooth paste forms. Stir the paste into the stew and cook until slightly thick, 8–10 minutes.

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Shoyu Sugar Steak

Sheldon Simeon — Fri, 25 Jun 2021 19:30:00 +0000

Kevin J. Miyazaki (Courtesy Clarkson Potter). Kevin J. Miyazaki (Courtesy Clarkson Potter)

Maui chef Sheldon Simeon thinks of shoyu and sugar as the “mother sauce” of Hawaiian cuisine. Mixed together in sweet and salty balance, “shoyu sugar” forms the foundation for a number of dishes, from chicken hekka to Okinawan rafute. The combination makes sense on a cultural level as much as on a culinary one: Sugarcane was the economic lifeblood of Hawaii for generations, while shoyu is the one seasoning Hawaiians use more than any other.

Simeon developed this recipe as a solution to a very specific conundrum: He loves the simplicity of grilling a thick steak over his backyard grill, but he realized that, if he wanted to season the meat with shoyu sugar, he would have to marinate it, which would change the texture of the beef. Brushing the steak with shoyu sugar while on the grill didn’t work great either: The liquid drips off without imparting much flavor. So instead, he adapted traditional Japanese tare—a basting sauce thickened with toasted and pulverized brown rice. This powder adds a pleasant nuttiness, and more importantly, helps the shoyu sugar cling to the steak, resulting in a gorgeous caramelized crust. (If you don’t have a spice grinder to grind the rice, a third of a cup of Cream of Wheat or Cream of Rice hot cereal is a handy substitute.)

Using this method, any ¾-inch thick steak will work, including a ribeye, New York strip, T-bone, top sirloin, or flank steak. Simeon’s favorite cut to use, however, is the boneless chuck roast. This “the poor man’s rib eye” comes from the shoulder and is most often used for braising or roasting. It’s not as tender as a filet mignon, but if you prefer an extra beefy-tasting steak, the chuck’s robust flavor and satisfying chew make it an appealing option.

Featured in “Talking Hawaiian Home Cooking with Sheldon Simeon” by Shane Mitchell.

Yield: 6

Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

One 3-lb. boneless chuck roast
Garlic salt
½ cup raw brown rice
1 cup mirin
½ cup sake
1 cup shoyu (soy sauce)
½ cup light brown sugar
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
6 scallions, cut crosswise into thirds and crushed
One 2-in. piece fresh ginger, peeled, sliced, and crushed
Vegetable oil, for the grill
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Place the steak on a plate and pat dry if needed. Sprinkle generously with garlic salt and set aside to come up to room temperature, about 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, in an electric spice grinder, process the rice until finely ground. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, toast the rice powder, stirring continuously, until deep golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-low, add the mirin and sake, and bring to a boil, stirring to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the shoyu, brown sugar, vinegar, garlic, scallions, and ginger, then turn the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until thickened and slightly reduced, 10–12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove and discard the aromatics.
Prepare a grill for high indirect heat: For a charcoal grill, push the coals to one side; for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off. Using tongs and an oiled kitchen towel or paper towels, oil the grates. Sprinkle the steaks generously with black pepper and place on the grill on the indirect heat side. Cover the grill and cook, flipping occasionally, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the steak reads 104°F, 20–25 minutes.
Once the meat thermometer reads 104°F, move the steaks over the direct heat. Brush the meat liberally with the reserved sauce, and grill, flipping and basting with the sauce every 30–60 seconds, until a lightly charred glaze has developed and the internal temperature reads 125°F (for medium-rare), 10–15 minutes.
Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and set aside to rest for 10 minutes. Carve against the grain into thick slices and serve immediately with the remaining sauce on the side.

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Grilled Marinated Flank Steak

SAVEUR Editors — Wed, 07 Jul 2021 18:30:00 +0000

Photography by BELLE MORIZIO

Flank steak, also known as London broil, isn’t the most tender cut of beef, but it is one of the most flavorful. The key to cooking a tender flank steak is to let the meat marinate for a good, long time and then carve it crosswise against the grain into very thin slices. No grill? No problem, as this recipe translates well to a stovetop method. If you do have your coals going, round out your cookout with all of the grilled essentials.

Featured in the June/July 2007 issue.

Belle Morizio Belle Morizio

Yield: 4

Time: 12 hours 30 minutes

1 Tbsp. coriander seeds
1 Tbsp. fennel seeds
1 Tbsp. black peppercorns
2 fresh bay leaves
2 dried chiles de árbol, broken
½ cup red wine
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
One 2-lb. flank steak
Kosher salt

Instructions

In a small skillet over high heat, toast the coriander, fennel, peppercorns, bay leaves, and chiles, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and lightly crush the aromatics with the bottom of a heavy skillet, then transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Whisk in the wine, vinegar, Worcestershire, garlic, rosemary, and oil.
Poke the steak all over with a fork, and season both sides to taste with salt. Place the steak in the marinade, and spoon some marinade over the top. Cover and refrigerate, turning occasionally, for 12–24 hours.
An hour before grilling, retrieve the steak from the fridge, transfer to a plate, and set aside at room temperature. Transfer the marinade to a small pot and bring just to a boil, then set aside.
Build a medium-hot charcoal fire in your grill. Grill the steak, turning once and using a brush, basting occasionally with the reserved marinade, until browned and medium rare, 14–16 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Carve the steak into thin slices on the bias and serve with any accumulated juices.

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Bistecca alla Fiorentina with Watercress and Pistachio Salad

Stacy Adimando — Tue, 28 May 2019 17:43:47 +0000

Jenny Huang. Jenny Huang

Modeled after the famed Tuscan porterhouse, which in Italy is most often served in hefty cuts intended for sharing, this slightly more petite version from cookbook author and former SAVEUR editor-in-chief Stacy Adimando quickly comes together for dinner at home. The simple, umami-packed seasonings are slicked on using a pastry brush at the end of cooking. If possible, select a quality steak with some age on it for this recipe.

Featured in: “Italy’s Most Delicious Steak, on a Weeknight at Home.”

Yield: 2

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the steak:

One 1¼ lb. bone-in porterhouse steak
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more as needed
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 oil-packed anchovy fillets, finely chopped, plus ½ tsp. oil from the jar
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, grated (1¼ tsp.)
1 tsp. very finely chopped fresh rosemary

For the salad:

2 Tbsp. finely chopped shallot (from ½ shallot)
2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. red wine vinegar
Kosher salt
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups loosely packed watercress (2½ oz.)
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. raw or roasted, unsalted pistachios
Parsley sprigs, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Dry the steak with paper towels if needed. Season all over with salt and black pepper, ensuring that it thoroughly sticks to the meat. Set aside to come to room temperature, at least 20 minutes.
In a medium bowl, stir together the anchovies and their oil, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the garlic, and rosemary.
Make the salad dressing: In a large bowl, stir together the shallot, vinegar, and a pinch of salt.
Place a large cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium heat. Brush the steak with a little oil from the anchovy mixture (avoid any solids at this point). Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. When the oil begins to smoke, carefully add the steak and cook, pressing down on the bone with tongs to help the steak remain in contact with the skillet, until a very dark crust forms on the bottom, about 6 minutes. Flip the steak and cook until the other side is deeply browned, about 3 minutes. Turn the steak to press its fatty sides up against the skillet until browned, about 1 minute more.
Transfer the steak to a cutting board and immediately brush all over with the remaining anchovy mixture. Set aside to rest for 6–8 minutes.
Make the salad: In the bowl with the shallot mixture, whisk in the olive oil. Add the watercress, season to taste with salt and black pepper, and toss gently to coat.
Using a chef’s knife, cut the meat away from the bone and into two pieces by following the lines of the center bone. (Reserve the bone.) Starting from one end, slice each piece of meat about ½ inch thick against the grain, keeping it in the shape of the original steak.
Transfer the salad to one side of a large platter. Add the steak bone to the other side of the platter and nestle the two halves of meat back into the bone, overlapping slightly with the salad. Drizzle the meat with juices from the cutting board, top the salad with the pistachios and parsley (if desired), and serve immediately.

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Pastrami and Sauerkraut Bucatini

Ali Rosen — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 20:23:31 +0000

Noah Fecks

Cookbook author Ali Rosen describes this pastrami sandwich-inspired pasta as an “explosion of flavor.” The dish builds depth in three ways: beef broth, which is used to cook the bucatini; a quintet of spices inspired by the ones traditionally used to cure pastrami; and bright, tangy sauerkraut, which tames the richness of the meat. As Rosen puts it, the recipe is “really mostly just a matter of sticking a half teaspoon into a bunch of spices (and if you can’t find a spice or two in your pantry, don’t stress. It’ll turn out fine.)” A worthy homage to the classic sandwich that’s ready in less than half an hour? It’s more than fine—it’s a keeper.

Yield: 4

Time: 15 minutes

6 cups beef broth
1 lb. bucatini
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more
⅓ cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 
½ tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. fennel seeds
½ tsp. brown mustard seeds 
½ tsp. onion powder 
½ tsp. smoked paprika 
1 lb. sliced pastrami, coarsely chopped
1 cup sauerkraut

Instructions

In a large pot, bring the broth to a boil. Add the bucatini and salt, and cook, stirring every minute or two, for 6–8 minutes (or according to the package directions).
Meanwhile, to a small skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil. When hot, add the Dijon mustard, coriander, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, onion powder, and paprika. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the pastrami and sauerkraut.
Drain the bucatini, reserving a few tablespoons of broth. Add the bucatini back to the pot and stir in the pastrami mixture. Add a tablespoon of broth at a time as needed if it looks dry. Season to taste with salt, and serve hot.

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Cuban Picadillo

Sandra A. Gutierrez — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 18:21:04 +0000

Kevin Miyazaki. Kevin Miyazaki

This is a Cuban-inspired picadillo that features the grassy flavor of cumin, brininess from salty olives, and a touch of piquancy from capers. Picadillo literally means “minced,” and ever since the Spanish colonizers arrived with recipes for ground beef dishes, Latin Americans have been adapting them to suit each country’s culinary traditions. There are so many versions of picadillos in Latin America that it’s hard to keep them straight. In Chile and in Argentina, they include hard-boiled eggs; in Guatemala, they include carrots; in Costa Rica, you’ll find them with potatoes, chayotes, and green beans. I developed this recipe (which tastes even better the next day) for my daughter Nikki so she could make it for her Cuban husband, who especially loves it ladled over fufú de plátano (banana fufu). I based it on several traditional Cuban recipes I inherited from my grandmother’s old recipe collections.

Yield: 4–6

Time: 30 minutes

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
½ cup finely chopped red or green bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1½ lb. lean ground beef
1 cup peeled, seeded, finely chopped plum tomatoes
1 Tbsp. drained capers
1½ tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. fine salt, or to taste
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
20–25 pitted manzanilla olives (regular or pimento-stuffed)

Instructions

To a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add the oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3–5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds. Add the beef and cook, stirring to break up any large chunks, until it’s no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, capers, cumin, salt, black pepper, and olives. Cover, turn the heat to low, and simmer until the flavors have melded, 10–12 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Variation: To make Cuban empanadas, place 1–2 tablespoons of chilled picadillo in the center of a store-bought empanada wrapper (find them in the frozen section of any Latin grocery store), then bake or fry them according to the directions on the package.

Excerpted from LATINÍSIMO: Home Recipes from the Twenty-One Countries in Latin America. Copyright © 2023 by Sandra A. Gutierrez. Photography Copyright © 2023 by Keven Miyazaki. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Where to Find the Best Cuban Food in Miami

Ropa vieja at Café La Trova (Photo: Ruben Cabrera)

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Steak Diane

SAVEUR Editors — Sat, 25 Sep 2021 14:50:00 +0000

Maura McEvoy

Considered a signature entrée at Manhattan’s beloved Drake Hotel, Steak Diane is widely attributed to Beniamino Schiavon, the Drake’s maître d’hôtel from 1942 to 1967. The hitch? Schiavon probably invented the sirloin’s flambéed cream sauce in collaboration with chef Luigi Quaglino during the 1930s, when the two worked together in Belgium. And though many assume the name references the Roman goddess of the hunt, The New York Times, in its 1968 obituary of Schiavon, described the titular Diane only as a “beauty of the 1920s.” SAVEUR’s take on the steak, originally published in March 1997, upgrades the beef from the Drake’s original sirloin to tender filet mignon.

Featured in the March 1997 issue.

Yield: 4

Time: 35 minutes

Four 4-oz. filet mignon steaks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1½ cups beef stock
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 2 tsp.)
1 medium shallot, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)
4 oz. oyster or hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, torn into small pieces (about 2 cups)
¹⁄₄ cup cognac
¹⁄₄ cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
¹⁄₄ tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 Tbsp. finely chopped chives
1 Tbsp. finely chopped Italian parsley

Instructions

Season the steaks generously with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until it shimmers, then add the steaks and cook, turning once, until evenly browned, 4–5 minutes for medium rare. Transfer to a plate to rest.
Meanwhile, return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the stock. Cook, stirring to deglaze, until the liquid is reduced by two-thirds, about 10 minutes. Pour the demi-glace into a heatproof bowl and set aside.
Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the butter. When the butter is melted and the foam begins to subside, add the garlic and shallot, and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until they soften, release their liquid, and begin to brown, about 2 minutes more. Add the cognac, then carefully light with a long match or lighter to flambé, shaking gently until the flame dies down. Stir in the reserved demi-glace along with the cream, Dijon, Worcestershire, and Tabasco.
Return the reserved steaks to the skillet, lower the heat to simmer, and cook, turning to coat, until the sauce is thickened and the meat is warmed through, about 4 minutes. To serve, transfer the steaks to warmed serving plates; stir the chives and parsley into the sauce, and drizzle it over the steaks.

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