Steak Diane

1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Season the steaks with salt and pepper, add to the skillet, and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides and cooked to your liking, about 4 to 5 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
2. Return the skillet to high heat and add the stock. Cook until reduced to ½ cup, about 10 minutes, then pour into a bowl and set aside. Put the skillet back on the heat with the butter, then add the garlic and shallots and cook, stirring, until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they release their liquid, it evaporates, and they start to brown, about 2 minutes. Pour in the brandy and light with a match to flambe, cooking until the flame dies down. Stir in the reserved stock, cream, Dijon, Worcestershire and hot sauce, then slide the steaks back in and cook, turning them in the sauce, until warmed through and the sauce has thickened, about 4 minutes. Move the steaks to serving plates, stir the parsley and chives into the sauce, and spoon it over to serve.

Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen

• Get a proper crust on the steaks first, then rest them on a warm plate while you build the sauce.
• Reduce the stock right down before the cream goes in; that concentration is where the depth comes from.
• If you flambe the brandy, stand back and let the flames settle on their own before stirring.
• Slide the steaks back into the finished sauce for a minute, just long enough to warm them through.