Steak with Red Wine Sauce

Try this simple sauce with any panfried beef, from burgers to filet mignon. It is thickened with a little butter at the end, a French cooking technique that rounds out the wine and enriches the sauce. (Do not use margarine; it will not thicken the sauce.)

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

4 boneless beef strip (shell) steaks, 1 inch thick (8 ounces each)

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1⁄4 cup finely chopped shallots

1 cup dry red wine pinch dried thyme, crumbled

2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon or flat-leaf parsley

• In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat oil over mediumhigh heat until very hot. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Cook 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare or until desired doneness. Transfer steaks to warm platter.
• Discard drippings from skillet. Add shallots to pan and cook, stirring, until tender, about 1 minute. Add wine and thyme; heat to boiling over high heat. Boil until sauce has reduced to 1⁄3 cup, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat; stir in butter, stirring just until incorporated.
• Cut steaks into thin slices. Transfer to warm platter; pour sauce on top and sprinkle with tarragon.

Makes 4 main-dish servings.

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes