Make a classic steak Diane at home in about 30 minutes. The classic rich mushroom sauce is delicious over steak, chicken or even just noodles.
I turned to the internet, my cookbook collection, and fellow food writers and friends. That’s when Suzy Fleming Leonard, a food writer at Florida Today, reminded me that chef Scott Earick frequently serves the dish at Scott’s on Fifth, his restaurant in Indialantic, Fla. “It’s so good,” she said.Having eaten there, I knew his food was terrific, so I gave him a call. Turned out he was planning to visit the District with his husband, so he agreed to visit our Food Lab and teach me to make it.
“The most difficult thing about executing the classics is that it has to be the same every time you make it,” he said. Diners know what to expect, and so you have to deliver.“I have people who come back every year for their vacation,” he said of his 17-year-old business near the beach and the Space Coast, which attracts travelers from all over the world. Steak Diane started as a special.
Earick’s version is fairly simple. He sears the steak in a skillet, removes it, and uses those juices to lightly cook the mushrooms, onion and garlic. He adds a splash of brandy or cognac, which he sets aflame for just a minute on the stove. Then, rather than use demi-glace, a concentrated stock that is reduced until it is a deep brown, meaty flavored sauce, Earick finagles that rich flavor with pantry-friendly ingredients, including beef broth, Worcestershire, Dijon mustard and A.1. Sauce.
“It’s very accessible dinner-party food,” Earick said, because a home cook could sear the steaks and make the sauce before guests arrive, adding the steaks to the sauce and reheating just before serving. If you can afford it, he strongly recommends using filet mignon medallions. If not, he suggests pan-seared chicken cutlets. His rich, flavorful sauce is tasty over egg noodles, potatoes and rice, too.When I remarked how comfortable Earick was showing me how to make the dish, he explained that he loves to teach and he loves an audience, too.