Why Viking

Bordelaise [bore duh LAZ] sauce is a great accompaniment for any grilled red meat, and Bordeaux wine is the key to this recipe’s rich taste. The author of this classic recipe is Georges Auguste Escoffier; it appears in his book Le Guide Culinaire, first published in French in 1903, which has become a classic on the art of cooking.

Cooking with Karine: Steak Bordelaise

Join Karine as she learns the secrets of preparing Steak Bordelaise, Bordeaux’s celebrated and classic dish, with local gourmand, chef Georges Gotrand.

Ingredients

3 oz (85 g) demi-glace*
1¼ C (355 ml) Bordeaux wine (or a dry red wine)
2 Tbsp (30 g) shallots, finely chopped
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme or 1/4 tsp (0.1 g) dried thyme
1½ C (99 g) mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp (29 g) butter, divided
½ tsp (2.5 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 oz (57 g) beef bone marrow, poached & diced**

Directions

Warm demi-glace in a saucepan over medium heat. In a stockpot, bring wine, shallots, pepper, bay leaf and thyme gently to a boil; cook slowly until reduced to ¼. Add demi-glace and gently simmer another 15 minutes; strain. Sauté mushrooms with 1 T (15 g) butter in a skillet; add to sauce. Finish sauce with remaining butter, lemon juice and bone marrow.

Serve over a grilled steak, slow-roasted beef or other red meat; or with roasted or mashed potatoes.

* Purchase demi-glace at Williams-Sonoma, Whole Foods or amazon.com; or reduce a high-quality beef stock or consommé.

** Bone marrow provides extra richness to the sauce, and can be purchased at a local butcher, or it can be omitted.