Some of the best dishes have, tragically, been lost to time. Retro staples of our childhoods that no one has thought of in years cleared from our memories to make way for a more modern cooking flare. Admittedly, this isn’t always a negative thing. I, for one, am quite happy to see the back end of jellied meats, for example. But there are too many culinary gems lost to history, sitting restlessly in the pages of dusty cookbooks. We toy with nonsensical recipes like vegan scallops with rhubarb foam while rich, hearty, deliciously complex, timeless recipes like Steak Diane go forgotten. We say it’s time to change that.
What is Steak Diane?
Steak Diane is a deliciously, charmingly retro dish that was immensely popular in the 50’s and 60’s, particularly in New York. At the time, the trendy dish was often prepared tableside with a great deal of theatricality in the form of cognac-induced flames dramatically igniting the dish. Enthralled diners couldn’t get enough of the dish’s whimsical charms and exquisite flavor. The whole thing was so much a sensation that Steak Diane has become a symbol of mid-century dining.
At its core, Steak Diane is nothing more than a perfectly cooked steak topped with a lovely cream sauce. But the sauce itself is what makes this delicious dish so very memorable. Creamy and rich, Steak Diane sauce is traditionally flavored with cognac, butter, shallot, garlic, and cream, making it velvety, decadent, and a perfect accompaniment to the steak with which it is served.
Best steak to use for Steak Diane
The traditional choice for Steak Diane is beef tenderloin, and is, in our opinion, the perfect steak for this dish with its lean but incredibly tender meat and richly succulent, savory flavor.
Should your local butcher be out of beef tenderloin or you’re feeling particularly contrarian, there are certainly other beef cuts and steaks that will work well for Steak Diane. Ribeye, Sirloin, Flank, Skirt, or Hanger Steak are all great alternatives that will be heavenly with Diane’s signature sauce.
Traditional ingredients in Steak Diane
With most sauced dishes, it’s a given that the protein is the star of the meal, while the sauce is merely an accompaniment. In the case of Steak Diane, the opposite is true. Of course, we have nothing but love for beef tenderloin (or any other beef cut you choose), but there’s something purely magical about the sauce in this dish.
As we’ve mentioned, this savory sauce is made with many typical ingredients you may find in any other sauce – cream, stock, shallot, Dijon, etc. But the addition of flambeed cognac is what makes this sauce so special. The savory sweet, incredibly complex sauce takes on a whole new level of depth with this added ingredient, and it should never be skipped, no matter how many “cheater” recipes there are that leave out the dramatics.
While mushrooms are a common ingredient in more modern takes on Stake Diane, this hasn’t always been the case. It wasn’t until the last few decades that mushrooms were commonly added to the dish, but it’s not a change we mind at all. Mushrooms’ earthy, umami flavor brings even more character to this already divine sauce, and we are here for it.
Steak Diane recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of beef tenderloin, sliced into steaks
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 8 ounces mushrooms
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 shallot, minced
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup cognac
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
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Season the steaks generously with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- To a large pan, add the oil and heat on high until extremely hot, and the oil is shimmering.
- Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, sear steaks for about a minute and a half per side. Remove steaks from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- To the hot pan, add mushrooms and cook until slightly browned, about 4-5 minutes.
- To the mushrooms, add butter, shallot, and garlic. Sauté until vegetables are caramelized.
- Remove pan from the flames and add the cognac, taking care to keep the bottle away from the flame.
- Return pan to the heat and flambé until the alcohol has cooked off.
- Add beef stock and continue to cook over medium heat until the liquid has reduced by about half.
- To the pan, add the cream, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, parsley, and lemon juice. Stir until combined.
- Carefully place the steaks back in the pan and simmer on low for about 1-2 minutes until the steaks are warmed through.
Steak Diane tips and tricks
- You may substitute brandy for the cognac in this recipe, but that’s about it. Some claim that white wine will have the same effect, but white wine hasn’t the depth of cognac, nor will it flambe. We strongly recommend using cognac and not skipping this step.
- You can use any mushrooms that you happen to have on hand, but we especially love shiitakes.
- This is a dish that’s best served immediately after preparing it, but if you have leftovers you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for three to four days.
