Recipe: Steak with Compound Butter Pan Sauce

When our non-carnivorous daughter comes home from college, it evens the household omnivore-to-vegetarian ratio to 2-to-2. There’s a lot more plant-based “steak” on our table during school breaks, but sometimes you just need to dig into a nice steak with compound butter. Combine it with white wine and Dijon mustard for a great – and absurdly easy – French-inspired pan sauce.

Strip Steaks with Compound Butter Pan Sauce
2 to 3 servings

2 1½-inch thick strip steaks
2 to 4 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. room-temperature butter
1 Tbsp. minced shallot
1 tsp. herbes de Provence
1 Tbsp. canola or grapeseed oil
1 cup dry white wine or broth
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

• Liberally season each steak with salt and pepper and let rest at room temperature 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile make the compound butter by combining the butter, shallot and herbes de Provence in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Preheat a heavy stainless steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and sear the steaks 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Remove to a plate and let rest.
• Remove the skillet from the heat and add the white wine to deglaze, then return the pan to the stove over medium-low heat. Scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet, then add the mustard and compound butter, whisking constantly.
• Return the steaks and any juices back to the skillet. Turn the steaks to coat them in the pan sauce. Plate the steaks and spoon more sauce over the top.

Dee Ryan is a longtime contributor to Sauce Magazine who regularly pens Just Five.