Chef Bryan's Steak Diane

The story
Ingredients
Method

Steak Diane is always a firm favourite for our day patients looking for a trip down memory lane. Although it’s now classed on the retro side, it’s delicious and always go down a treat. It is nice when patients and families ask to see me to tell me they enjoyed it and can they have the recipe.

Knowing you’re cooking the last meal a couple might share together is incredibly poignant, and Steak Diane now always reminds me of one couple in particular.

Another couple I remember are Lawrence and Gay - I cooked them Christmas dinner not long before Gay died. We set up a table next to Gay’s bed and decorated it just like you would do with the dining table at Christmas, complete with crackers.

I have many fond memories of patients who I’ve cooked for, but unfortunately I don’t get much chance to take photos. So here’s a picture of me with one family who I got to know through the hospice, and of course, here's the recipe for everyone’s favourite – Steak Diane.

Bryan is Chef at the Marie Curie Hospice in Edinburgh.

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4 x 150g battened out steaks seasoned with salt and pepper

For the sauce

150g butter

2 small, finely chopped shallots

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

4 chopped blanched tomatoes (don’t use the seeds)

75g finely slinced mushrooms

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons brandy

Half a pint double cream

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Heat the butter in a non-stick frying pan

Fry the shallots for 3-4 minutes

Cook off the steaks on both sides of your preference (rare, medium, well-done) and then remove from the pan to rest in a serving dish

Pop the chopped tomato, sliced mushrooms, chopped parsley, Worcestershire sauce and brandy in the pan and saute for a couple of minutes and add the juices left over in the steak pan. (Be careful at this stage as the brandy vapours can ignite).

Add double cream to reduce the sauce.

When reduced, put the steaks back into the sauce to heat up and serve with sugar snap peas and chateau potatoes.

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