Mustard and Red Wine Sauce

I am completely obsessed with pan searing. Especially pan seared steaks. It's incredible how you can get a restaurant quality steak from a frying pan. At home. In just a few minutes. So at least once a week I score some USDA Prime steaks from Costco and sear them up.

Up until last fall, I used to do all of my pan searing in a cast iron pan. Cast iron retains heat like crazy and that makes it ideal for searing. The downside is the weight....my Lodge cast iron pan tips the scales at 15+ pounds. That makes for a two-handed job everytime I use it.

Then last fall I stumbled upon an equipment test in Cook's Illustrated. They were comparing carbon steel frying pans and the winner was the Matfer Bourgeat Black Steel Fry Pan. They noted that carbon steel pans were used by virtually every restaurant chef. Carbon steel is light. It becomes a perfect non-stick pan after seasoning and it has all of the heat retention qualities of cast iron.

I went online and got mine from a foodservice supplier for $34.19. Once I got it seasoned and started cooking with it, I was hooked. I got the 11 7/8" pan and it weighs in at 4 pounds...an 11 pound saving from my cast iron pound. And I'm here to tell you it holds heat every bit as well as cast iron.

So if a pan burglar came into my house, he would have to pry my Matfer Bourgeat black steel fry pan away from my cold, dead hands. Best $34 ever spent. I just love that pan. And I get perfect pan-seared steaks every time...just 5 minutes per side!

While the steaks are perfect every time, I like to add a little variety on steak night. I do that by making different sauces that complement the pan seared steak. The one I'm sharing with you today is from Bobby Flay. I make the sauce ahead of time and keep it warm while my Matfer Bourgeat pan creates another masterpiece.

Ingredients 

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed and thinly sliced
1/2 shallot, finely diced
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon cold butter
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over high heat. Add the mushrooms and shallots, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown and their liquid has evaporated. 
2. Add the red wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the stock and cook until reduced by half. Whisk in the butter and mustard and cook for 30 seconds. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve over the steaks after steaks have rested.