Steak with Madeira and double-mushroom sauce

Instructions

• Rinse dried mushrooms. Place in a microwave-safe bowl. Add broth. Microwave, uncovered, on high 2 minutes or heat mixture in a saucepan. Let stand at room temperature while preparing steaks. If you have time, let stand up to 24 hours (mushrooms will be softer).

• Preheat oven to 450F (230C). Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Discard stems from fresh mushrooms, then thickly slice caps. Sprinkle both sides of steaks with salt and pepper. Coat a large frying pan with oil and set over high heat. Add steaks and cook until well browned, about 2 minutes per side. Immediately remove steaks to rack on baking sheet. Then roast in centre of preheated oven 7 to 10 minutes for medium-rare steaks. If steaks are thinner than 1-1/2 inches (3.5 cm), check after 4 minutes. Insert an instant-read thermometer into side of steak. It should read between 135F and 140F (57C and 60C) and steak should have a slight springiness when pressed.

• While steaks are roasting, return frying pan to burner over medium-high heat. Add butter. When melted, add fresh mushrooms. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Stir often until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Then pour in Madeira. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up and stir in any brown bits from bottom of pan.

• Stir in broth with dried mushrooms. Increase heat to high. Boil, stirring often, until sauce is reduced to about 1 cup (250 mL), 6 to 8 minutes. Place cooked steaks on warm plates. Spoon sauce overtop.