Steak with sauce Bourdelaise

Photographer: Sara
Serves 2

I’ve probably mentioned before about my love for a well-cooked steak. My parents used it as bribery when I was young. I’d be a little angel for days before a BBQ in anticipation of eating steak. Then, on the day, I’d watch it get marinated (this was the late 80s to early 90s) and cooked on Dad’s charcoal BBQ. After the adults had taken the best pieces I would be escorted to the steak platter to select (or be told to take the smallest) from what was left. I would only be allowed only one because those greedy adults may have wanted seconds. While other kids would quickly devour their sausages in bread just to get back to whatever game they were playing I would cut fine slithers off my steak, savouring every bite. Looking back, I may have been a little strange as a child.

The Bourdelaise is a rich and warming sauce; there are many versions and you can experiment with the balance of wine, stock and herbs. This is best with a green salad and Lauren’s hand cut oven fries.

INGREDIENTS


2 Scotch fillet steaks
Salt and pepper
Oil

Sauce Bourdelaise
½ onion, finely diced
2 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
½ tsp peppercorns
1 ½ cups red wine
2 cups beef stock
1-2 tbsp butter

METHOD


Take your steaks out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking. Starting the cooking process from room temperature will help to ensure your steaks are evenly cooked.

Sauce Bourdelaise
1. Combine the onion, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns and wine in a saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until it turns into a syrup (reduces about 80-90%).
2. Add the stock and cook until it thickens or coats the back of a spoon.
3. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve and then add back to a clean sauce pan. Add the butter and then over low heat swirl the sauce gently until the butter has melted and the sauce is glossy.


4. Season the steak generously with salt and pepper. Coat each side with olive oil.
5. In a hot frying pan or griddle cook the steaks for 3 minutes each side for rare, or 4.5 minutes each side for medium. Allow them to rest for five minutes before serving with the sauce.