Steak
Description
The recipe won't take much time. I should warn you right away—cooking a "Diana" steak properly is quite challenging, despite the apparent simplicity of the recipe. Yes, there's nothing super complicated here, but even experienced chefs don't always succeed. The difficulty lies precisely in the fact that there is no obvious difficulty—the dish's success depends on many little details that are not easy to notice. For example, if the meat isn't properly dried after washing, or if it's not tightly covered with foil after searing, that's it—the steak won't be as delicious. There are many such nuances. But don't get scared—if you make an effort and cook carefully, you'll succeed. I love preparing it right in front of guests, as the dish is quick and spectacular :) So, here is the recipe for Diana steak—enjoy! ;) By the way, the steak is named after the goddess of war, not after the princess :) Serve hot.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Rinse the beef tenderloin thoroughly. Instead of beef, you can use wild boar or venison. Do not skimp on the meat — you need a truly high-quality tenderloin, otherwise the "Diana" steak will not be as delicious as it should be.
- 2
Step 2
Cut the beef tenderloin across the grain into medallions 3-4 cm thick. Lightly pound each medallion to a thickness of 1.5-2 cm. Season with salt and pepper.
- 3
Step 3
Slice the onion into thin half-rings, finely chop the garlic or press it through a garlic press. I also recommend having the remaining ingredients ready at hand—cooking will proceed very quickly, so everything should be prepared and within reach.
- 4
Step 4
Heat oil in a skillet. Place our pounded beef medallions into the hot skillet. The meat must be perfectly dry: if there are any moisture droplets on it, they will start to burn, ruining the dish. Don't neglect such small details, otherwise you won't be able to make a good steak.
- 5
Step 5
How long to cook steaks depends on their thickness and the desired level of doneness. Mine were 1.5 cm thick, so I seared them for 2 minutes on one side, then flipped and cooked for another minute on the other side to achieve medium doneness. Remove the cooked medallions from the pan, place them on a plate, and cover with foil or a lid to keep them warm.
- 6
Step 6
Now comes the most exciting and spectacular part. Place the onion into the pan where the meat was cooked (if there's very little fat left in the pan, add a bit of oil). Sauté over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, then add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Continuing to stir, add the Worcestershire sauce and mustard to the pan. And here comes the crucial moment! Pour brandy (or cognac) into the pan and ignite it. Be very careful—don't burn anything :) If you have an electric stove, light it with a match; if you have a gas stove, simply tilt the pan slightly and the brandy will catch fire on its own. You won't burn your kitchen tools with this flame, but you might accidentally singe your eyebrows if you're not careful, so keep your face well away from the pan when lighting. The alcohol will burn for about 20 seconds.
- 7
Step 7
When the brandy stops burning, thoroughly mix the sauce and cook for another 1 minute over medium heat.
- 8
Step 8
Then add heavy cream and, if desired, sauce to the skillet. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce over low heat until thickened. Taste and adjust salt and pepper—perhaps you'll want to add a little more.
- 9
Step 9
Return the seared steaks to the skillet along with the sauce that accumulated while they were covered with foil or a lid (that's why they were covered). Stir, heat for 1-2 minutes, then remove from heat.
- 10
Step 10
That's it, the "Diana" steak is ready! Traditionally, it's served with baked potatoes. For drinks, I recommend dark beer or red wine.