Steakhouse!

I was craving red meat tonight and decided on a good old fashioned steak. I was going to keep it all pretty basic but in the end I decided to make a lovely rich mushroom and port sauce to jazz it up a little bit. This sauce would go well with chicken, as well as red meat - It is pretty rich, so a little goes a long way. This recipe will serve four people. Oh, and if you don't happen to have any port on hand, you could use brandy or red wine.

Steaks with Port Mushroom Sauce

You will need: 1 steak per person, 2 cups sliced mushrooms, 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon butter, 6 finely sliced eschallots, 1 clove crushed garlic, 1 cup beef stock, 100ml cream, 1/4 cup port, 2 teaspoons Worchestershire sauce, pepper and salt to taste.

Method: Cook the steaks to your liking. Cover loosely with foil and let them rest in a warm place.

Heat the butter and olive oil in a pan and cook the eschallots on a medium heat until softened. Add the mushrooms and garlic and season with pepper. (Don't use salt at this point - the stock tends to be quite salty and will probably be enough. You can always add some at the end if you need to.) Sautee the mushrooms for a few minutes until cooked.

Add the port and mix well. The port will bubble up and evaporate the alcohol. Cook for 1 minute and then add the stock and Worchestershire sauce. Allow to simmer for another minute and then add the cream. Simmer on a high heat until it reduces and thickens. Taste for seasoning and adjust if required. Serve over the steaks.

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