Old-School Steak Diane Recipe

This retro presentation of seared tenderloin steak topped in a silky, mushroomy sauce was once a fine-dining staple, but with this recipe, it's one you can make it home — and we're talking about Steak Diane, of course. Tuxedo-clad waiters would wheel impressive trolleys around opulent dining rooms, crafting Steak Diane dishes table-side, making for a truly theatrical dining experience. One of the chief ingredients in the sauce, brandy or Cognac, is delightfully flammable, creating that wow-worthy flambé flair.

Of course, the brandy isn't just for show. It is an integral part of the recipe as a whole. Filet mignon or tenderloin steaks are known for their buttery, tender texture. Unfortunately, these cuts are pretty mild in flavor. An old-school recipe, like Steak Diane, rewards its diners by picking up that flavor-lacking slack with a sensational sauce. Butter-sauteed garlic, shallot, and mushrooms are deglazed with the oaky, semi-sweet liqueur. Dijon mustard, heavy cream, and Worcestershire sauce are added to provide savory richness and balancing sharpness. Infusing the sauce with much needed umami meatiness is the demi glace, a concentrated, stock-based sauce. This is one of those recipes that I loved learning about in culinary school, and it's an impressive dish that always wows (without being excessively difficult or ingredient-heavy). 

For this recipe, you will need four beef tenderloin filet medallions sliced in half for eight pieces total. Medallions are typically portions cut from the "tail" end of the larger format beef tenderloin. They are smaller in circumference yet relatively thick, about 2-inches. Their nice round shape makes them ideal for mallet-pounding into uniform portions. For seasoning and searing the steaks, you will need salt, pepper, and olive oil.

For crafting the sauce, you will need salted butter, sliced cremini mushrooms, shallots, garlic, Cognac (or any type of brandy), Dijon mustard, heavy cream, demi glace, and Worcestershire sauce. Lastly, I recommend some finely chopped fresh chives for garnish.

Place the halved steak medallions in an even layer on top of a sheet of plastic wrap. Place another piece of plastic wrap on top.

Using a meat mallet, pound the steaks until uniform and approximately ½-inch thick.

​​Season the pounded steaks with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat.

Once hot, place the steaks in the skillet (working in batches if necessary).

Sear the steaks on both sides until brown, about 1 minute per side.

Remove the steaks from the skillet and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium.

Add the butter to the skillet and melt.

Once melted, add the mushrooms and sauté until brown and tender, about 3 minutes.

Add the minced shallot and garlic to the skillet, stir to combine with the mushrooms, and saute for 2 minutes more.

Remove the skillet from the heat and deglaze with the brandy.

Once the steam has subsided, return the skillet to the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the brandy has mostly evaporated.

Add the mustard and cream to the skillet and whisk to combine.

Bring the sauce to a low simmer, stirring occasionally.

Once simmering, add the demi glace and Worcestershire sauce, and whisk to combine. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the sauce is nappé consistency (coating the back of a spoon).

Return the seared steaks to the skillet and coat in the sauce.

Divide the steaks and sauce between plates and sprinkle with chopped chives before serving.

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Demi glace is a classic French sauce that combines brown stock (either beef, veal, or duck) with sauce espagnole (one of the French mother sauces). It is used as a base ingredient for crafting other sauces, imparting savory, meaty, and umami flavors. Demi glace is an intensely concentrated concoction with a richly, luxurious mouthfeel that aids its master sauce with gourmet coatability.

If you want to craft your own demi glace, make sure to block off a few hours out of your day, as it is labor intensive. Demi glace requires a lot of roasting, simmering, and reducing to get that ideal, gelatinous-like finish. I prefer purchasing my demi glace, just to save on time, money, and effort. You can find demi glace at a more up-market or gourmet-themed grocery store in or around the meat department. Store-bought demi glace will most definitely be refrigerated. There are dry powdered mixes and concentrated bases available as well. The powders and bases are not my first choice, but they will work in a pinch.

One of the most exciting elements of ordering Steak Diane at a restaurant is that tableside brandy flambé that truly makes the dish an experience, not just a meal. Homemade versions of Steak Diane, like this one, definitely tone down the theatrics for the sake of safety, calling for removing the pan from heat before adding the liqueur. That said, you may still experience some flare-ups, so if this is your first foray into flambé, here are some top tips and pointers to approach this culinary technique safely.

Not all liqueurs will cause a big-ruckus flame, only those with a higher proof alcohol content. Brandy and Cognac are higher proof liqueurs frequently used for this purpose. The best way to approach at-home flambé is to, first, pour or portion your desired liqueur into a measuring cup or bowl. Never pour the liqueur directly from the bottle. Second, remove the skillet away from your heat source. This will keep any stray drops or spills from igniting. Once you add the liqueur, the subsequent torrent of steam will also be flammable. It's best to wait until the steam has subsided before returning the skillet to the heat source. If you want, use a long-handled match to ignite. Do not dip or tip the skillet towards the heat source. Lastly, have a large lid nearby to cut off the oxygen if you want to stop the flambé action.

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