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Steak Frites with Shallot Pan Reduction

Cooking Light
Steak Frites with Shallot Pan Reduction
Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Jan Gautro
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Outstanding

Many CookingLight.com users crave hearty meals, and our take on the classic French bistro dish satisfies. You can add a side of sautéed spinach to round out the plate for a company-worthy supper.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces steak, about 3 tablespoons sauce, and about 8 frites)

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4  pounds  baking potatoes (about 2 large potatoes), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch sticks
  • Cooking spray
  • 3/4  teaspoon  kosher salt, divided
  • 2  teaspoons  chopped fresh thyme, divided
  • 1  pound  boneless sirloin steak, trimmed
  • 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 2  tablespoons  finely chopped shallots
  • 2  tablespoons  brandy
  • 3/4  cup  less-sodium beef broth
  • 1  tablespoon  Dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2  teaspoons  butter

Preparation

1. Position 1 oven rack on the highest setting. Position another rack on the lowest setting.

2. Preheat oven to 450°.

3. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on baking sheets. Coat with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Bake at 450° for 40 minutes or until golden brown, stirring potatoes and rotating pans halfway through. Toss potatoes with 1 teaspoon thyme.

4. Heat a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle both sides of steak with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add steak to pan; sauté 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan; keep steak warm.

5. Add shallots to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Add brandy; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add beef broth, Dijon mustard, and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 2/3 cup (about 3 minutes). Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add butter, stirring with a whisk.

6. Slice steak. Serve with shallot pan reduction sauce and potatoes.

Wine note: This classic dish deserves its classic match: cabernet sauvignon. If price is no object, opt for a top red Bordeaux from France. But to stay under $30, a rich, full-bodied cabernet from California will do the trick. The Geyser Peak Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 is a steal at just $18. —Karen MacNeil

Nutritional Information

Calories:
347 (18% from fat)
Fat:
6.8g (sat 2.7g,mono 2.4g,poly 0.4g)
Protein:
28.9g
Carbohydrate:
37.7g
Fiber:
2.7g
Cholesterol:
73mg
Iron:
4.9mg
Sodium:
612mg
Calcium:
39mg
Jeanne Thiel Kelley, Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2008

Member Ratings and Reviews

5 stars
Jen from Broken Arrow
This is delicious! We have had it twice in two weeks. Everyone, including my 4 year old, loves it. We use venison rather than beef but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. This would be a nice, quick dish for company as well. We will add this to our favorites!01/19/09

5 stars
Chandra
Great recipe! Defintiely husband-friendly. It doesn't say this, but make sure you first spray the cookie sheet with cooking spray; I had a problem with the potatoes sticking. The recipe also specifies at the beginning that you should put one oven rack at the very top and one at the bottom but never says why. I used the bottom rack for the potatoes, rationalizing that the heat coming directly from the heating element would crisp them.11/30/08