This little treasure of a recipe is quick, easy, and absolutely scrumptious. I firmly believe that some treats are special enough to stray occasionally from a purely healthy diet. A little steak (even if it’s accompanied by a little butter & cream) every now and then is relatively harmless, particularly if you choose a lean cut. I’ve made this recipe with rib eye (not very lean, but quite tasty) and sirloin (much leaner). This time, I found filet on sale. It was a gorgeous piece of beef, so I decided to splurge. Hey, it wasn’t my fault the darn thing had my name on it, was it? What else was I to do? 

I like to make this in a non-stick skillet so I can keep the added fat to a minimum. My skillet is one of the kind that can create a nice sear. Not all do. If yours doesn’t, then use a regular skillet and increase the olive oil a bit. (That will, of course, alter your nutrition info.) As usual, I like to do most of my prep – chopping, and the like – before I start to cook. It really streamlines the process and is so much less stressful. You don’t end up accidentally overcooking a magnificent piece of meat because the next ingredient needs work you hadn’t anticipated. 

You’ll find a printer-friendly version of the recipe at the bottom of this page. 

“I enjoy cooking with wine; sometimes I even put it in the food I’m cooking.” — Julia Child

Ingredients:

12 oz beef steak, ~¾” to 1″ thick

⅛ tsp salt

⅛ tsp pepper

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 large shallot

1 small bunch fresh parsley (optional)

½ cup hot water

2 tsp. Penzeys Beef Soup Base

¼ cup red wine

1 Tbsp heavy cream

1 Tbsp butter

½ tsp chopped capers

Preparation:

1.) Mince the shallot and chop the parsley (you’ll need about 2 Tbsp of each); set aside.  Dissolve the beef soup base in the hot water to make a broth; set aside.

2.) Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tsp of the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the steak briefly on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Remove steaks, cover loosely with foil.

3.) Add the remaining oil and the shallots to skillet; cook & stir 1 minute or until the shallots are softened. Add the wine, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the broth; bring to a boil. Return the steak to the pan. Cook about a minute on each side, or until steak is done and liquid is reduced to about 2 Tbsp.

4.) Remove steak to a serving platter. Add the butter, cream & capers to the pan, whisking until butter is melted and everything is well combined. Pour sauce over steaks; sprinkle with parsley.