Steak with Shallot Sauce (Onglet Aux Echalottes)

***I was walking the aisles of HomeGoods the other day, when my eyes alighted on this fabulous cookbook...Williams-Sonoma: Paris. I immediately grabbed it up and started flipping through the pages. The beautiful thing about this book is all the photographs...and they aren't all of food. The pages are filled with gorgeous photos that transport you to the streets of Paris. Now I want to go more than ever! Oh, J'aime Paris!

This recipe for Steak with Shallot Sauce actually made it onto the cover of this cookbook. It looks scrumptious, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. I'm sure glad that I did!

I did make just a few slight changes to the original recipe. First, I went to 2 grocery stores looking for shallots...I couldn't find the first one! I was disappointed, but I knew that onions would make a fine substitute. Second, I couldn't find the particular cut of meat the recipe calls for, so I just bought NY strips...they worked just fine! And finally, I have yet to perfect the method of cooking a steak indoors. I always end up with a smoky kitchen and steaks that could have been better. So, I grilled the steaks outside on the gas grill. Once the sauce was just about finished, I added the steaks to the sauce and simmered for just a few minutes before serving.

And with that my friends, bon appétit!!!***

Steak with Shallot Sauce

Onglet Aux Echalottes

Ingredients:

4-6 onglets or hangar steaks (I used NY strips), 8-12 oz each, trimmed of most fat and lightly marbled if possible, at room temperature

Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil for brushing

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

12 shallots, about 3/4 lb total weight, thinly sliced

3/4 cup dry red wine

1 cup beef stock

Directions:

Pat the steaks dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper, and brush lightly with olive oil.

Heat a large, heavy nonstick frying pan over high heat until very hot. Cook the steaks until browned and slightly crusty on the first side, 45-60 seconds. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook the steaks for 2 - 4 minutes longer on each side, depending on the thickness. To test for doneness, press your finger firmly against one of the steaks; the rarer the meat, the more soft and fleshy it will feel. If desired, make a small cut in the meat to check the color. Transfer the steaks to a platter and cover looselly with aluminum foil. (The steaks will continue to cook slowly as they rest).

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Melt 1 1/2 tbsp. of the butter in the pan. Add the shallots and saute until golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Add the wine, raise the heat to high, and cook, stirring, until the liquid is almost evaporated, 5-6 minutes. Add the stock and cook until the shallots are very tender and the liquid is reduced to a flavorful sauce, 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp. butter.

Transfer the steaks along with any accumulated juices to individual plates. Spoon the shallots and sauce over the steaks. Serve at once.

Source: Williams-Sonoma: Paris Cookbook