ingredients
serves 4
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 pound fillet steak, cut into 4 slices
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons whisky
2 1/2 cups fresh wild mushrooms, cleaned and sliced, or dried porcini, soaked and sliced
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 level teaspoon All purpose flour
1/2 cup low-fat natural yoghurt
method
1. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet. Season the steaks with pepper and sear them on both sides over a high heat, then lower the heat to moderate and cook 2 - 3 minutes each side for rare meat, 3 - 4 for medium, 4 - 5 for well done.
2. Pour the whisky over the steaks and boil it for 1 - 2 minutes until reduced by half. Lift the steaks onto a heated plate, cover and keep hot.
3. Put the mushrooms in the pan with the bay leaf and garlic. Cover and cook quickly for 2 - 3 minutes, then uncover and boil until the juices have reduced by half. Blend the flour with the yoghurt until smooth. Stir the mixture into the mushrooms and heat without boiling until the sauce thickens. Season it with pepper and discard the bay leaf. Pour the mushroom sauce over the steaks and serve immediately.
Hot red cabbage and a wild rice mixture are perfect foils for the tender meat and rich sauce. You can add a sprig of bay, basil or sage for a touch of colour.
more information
Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and use in a soup or stew. They are tougher than the stalks of cultivated mushrooms and could spoil the succulent dish.
