Steak à l’Échalote (Seared Flatiron With Shallot Sauce)

Steak à l’Échalote (Seared Flatiron With Shallot Sauce)

Like a number of chefs, Daniel Boulud offers several options for enhancing a simple steak. Au poivre is one classic choice — but he also suggests this shallot mix, a quick pan sauce to dress the meat with an oniony tang sharpened with red wine and graced with buttery richness.

Yield: 4 servings

⅔ cup low-sodium beef broth

2 (1-pound) flatiron steaks, at room temperature

Sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 cup minced shallots (from 2 large shallots)

1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves picked (about 1 teaspoon)

¼ cup red wine vinegar

¼ cup minced fresh parsley

1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard

Watercress or baby arugula microgreens, for garnish (optional)

Add broth to a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-high until reduced by half, 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside.

Pat steaks dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Place a wire rack inside a baking sheet and set aside.

Heat a large skillet (preferably cast iron or carbon steel and big enough to fit both pieces of steak) over medium-high. Add olive oil and heat until oil is shimmering, about 1½ minutes. (Note: If you do not have a skillet large enough to accommodate both steaks, use two skillets, adding 1 teaspoon of oil to each. Then use one of the skillets to prepare the sauce in Step 5.)

Sear steaks on both sides until browned and cooked to desired doneness (2½ to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare). Transfer steaks to the prepared rack to rest and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.

Reduce heat to low and add the butter and shallots to the same skillet. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until shallots have begun to soften but are barely colored, about 2 minutes. Stir in thyme leaves. Add the vinegar, increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid has nearly evaporated, 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley, mustard and reserved reduced beef stock. Simmer until shallot mixture is soft and the sauce looks silky, about 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Pour any juices that have escaped from the steaks during resting into the skillet.

Using a sharp knife, slice the steaks across the grain on the bias. Arrange the slices on a platter. Spoon the shallot sauce over, garnish with greens if desired, and serve.