The classic combination of steak and mushrooms (think beef Stroganoff) comes together quickly in this simple weeknight meal. Most of the working class crave a good dinner after a long day’s work but certainly don’t want to make MORE work for themselves at the end of the day. From Fine Cooking’s Make-It-Tonight series, this Skirt Steak with Mushrooms and Shallots is elegant yet requires little effort on your part.

Let’s dwell on those ‘shrooms for a moment, shall we? Cremini mushrooms (also spelled crimini) are a nutrition powerhouse with the potential to ward off disease. They are small, button-shaped, earthy tasting, rich brown mushrooms that are also called “baby bellas” because they are mini-Portabellas. An impressive group of minerals, vitamins and other ingredients are packed into each three- to four-calorie mushroom.

Mushrooms are low in carbohydrates, calories, and sodium and are cholesterol- and fat-free. When you choose cremini mushrooms, you get all those dietary benefits plus more. Criemini mushrooms are an excellent source of selenium, which helps to fight cancer. Other minerals in cremini mushrooms are copper, potassium, phosphorus and zinc. Potassium is the mineral best known for bringing down your blood pressure and reducing your risk of stroke.

Cooking is where cremini mushrooms have an advantage over other types of mushrooms. They are the chef favorite because they provide a bolder, richer flavor and texture. Fresh cremini mushrooms have a slightly brown skin and should be used ideally within three days of purchase. You can boil, sauté, chop, and dice and slice these delicious foods to add to your favorite dishes, such as this one!

Back to the recipe.

Our steak was pretty thin in some parts and preferring medium-rare, I only cooked the meat in the cast-iron skillet for 4 1/2 minutes total. To keep the meal low-carb, we paired the meat and mushrooms with a side of roasted broccoli.

If you don’t happen to have a bottle of white wine on hand, go ahead and use a dry red, after all, it’s only a 1/4 cup’s worth. It’s main purpose is to deglaze the pan and make sure to dislodge and incorporate all of those luscious browned bits from the meat and mushrooms. Now go ahead and eat like royalty…

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 lb. skirt steak, trimmed and cut crosswise into 4 pieces
• Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper
• 5 Tbs. olive oil
• 3/4 lb. cremini mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 4-1/2 cups)
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1-1/4 cups lower-salt chicken broth
• 2 Tbs. cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

Directions

• Pat the steaks dry and season with salt and pepper. In a heavy-duty 12-inch skillet (preferably cast iron), heat 2 Tbs. of the olive oil over high heat until shimmering hot.
  
• Cook the steaks in a single layer, flipping with tongs halfway through, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the steak registers 130°F for medium rare, 5 to 7 minutes total (if necessary, lower the heat to medium high to finish cooking the thicker pieces). Transfer to a plate and let rest, loosely covered with foil, while making the sauce.
  
• Heat 2 Tbs. of the olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the mushrooms and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spatula, until golden-brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.
  
• Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil, the shallot, and thyme and cook, stirring, until the shallot is slightly browned, about 1 minute.
  
• Add the wine and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to dissolve any browned bits, until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 1 minute.
• Add the chicken broth. Raise the heat to high and boil, adding any juice that has accumulated from the steak and mushrooms, until the sauce is reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 7 minutes.
  
• Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter. Stir in the mushrooms and season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
• Thinly slice the steaks diagonally across the grain and serve topped with the mushroom sauce. Use a large serving spoon to drizzle the juices over each plate.
  

We served ours with a side of roasted broccoli florets.

Recipe by Tasha DeSerio from Fine Cooking