"STEAK WITH MUSHROOM AND WINE SAUCE"

This "Mushroom and Wine Sauce" is similar to "Marsala Sauce", and the difference is that here I used red Shiraz wine (my favorite) instead of Marsala wine. You can use any wine that you have/like for your sauce.
For the steak, you can use beef steak cuts, or boneless pork chops. You can cook the steak any way you like it: over the stove, on the grill or in the oven (broil). The steak is cooked separately from the sauce anyway. But I suggest you season it witl salt and pepper only, since the Mushroom and wine sauce is tasty enough to add more flavor to your steak.

[CHICHAY TIP: If you do not like using fresh garlic in your sauce, then use garlic powder instead of using the fresh garlic that is in the recipe here. When reducing the sauce, be careful and alert, as the sauce may dry out easily. In the recipe it says 3 minutes, but it really depends on how quick your sauce will reduce.]

-CHICHAY

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"STEAK AND MUSHROOM AND WINE SAUCE"

What You Need:

• 2 pounds steaks, well trimmed
• salt and pepper to taste 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup red wine of your choice ( I use Shiraz.)
• 1/2 cup broth (beef, chicken or vegetable) or water
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms of your choice
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

Prep:

-Heat up a large, heavy skillet over high.
-Season steaks with salt and pepper to taste.

How To:

-Place steaks in the hot skillet, turn down the heat to medium high, and cook this for 3 minutes each side, or depending on your preference on steak doneness.
-Remove steaks from skillet to a platter and cover with aluminum foil.
-Remove skillet from heat. Quickly saute the garlic for 1 to 2 minutes in the skillet using residual heat.
-Return skillet on medium-low heat and stiir in the mushrooms, and cook for about 2-3 minutes
-Add the red wine and broth or water (if using water, add a 1/2 tsp of salt). Stir, and bring this to a boil.
-Once this boils, lower the heat, and let this simmer/reduce for about 3 minutes.
-Remove pan from heat and whisk in butter and rosemary.
-Serve mushroom and wine sauce over steaks.

'BISTEK TAGALOG" ("Beef Steak")

It's been a busy weekend! We had fun at the Queen Mary for the Star Trek Tour! I had my fix of steak, hotdog, cookies, and yes...fried food!

Well, coming back home, I definitely missed Filipino food. BUT, I still wanted some steak! And so, I decided to make "BISTEK TAGALOG". Fair enough ha.

I really like my Bistek Tagalog sour - with lots and lots of "kalamansi" and brown "sabaw"!

Well, my husband doesn't like his bistek too sour and requested that I make the sauce thicker.

So, I had to modify the recipe by using constarch to thicken the sauce, used less kalamansi and added just a little sugar (or Splenda) to lessen the sour taste. It turned out well, and it was delicious!

[CHICHAY TIP: The recipe here included the option of adding the sugar and cornstarch, but if you really want to have the traditional "Bistek Tagalog", then I suggest that you ignore these additional ingredients. Feel free to use more/less kalamansi - based on your sour taste preference as well.]

- CHICHAY

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"BISTEK TAGALOG"

What You Need:

1 lb beef sirloin, thinly sliced

3 tbsp juice of calamansi

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 medium onion, sliced crosswise (into ring)

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp sugar or a pinch of Splenda (optional)

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 cup hot water (optional: add 1 tsp cornstarch to thicken the sauce)

marinade

3 tbsp juice of kalamansi

2 tbsp soysauce

Prep:

Marinate beef for about 30 minutes.

How To:

-Heat oil and butter in a frying pan

-Fry the onion rings in 1 tbsp olive oil, until lightly brown.

-Remove onions from frying pan and set aside.

-Drain beef slices from marinade (and reserve marinade).

-Sautè beef in the same frying pan (use the rest of the olive oil and butter) for 1 to 2 minutes, then turn to cook other side for 1 to 2 minutes.

-Transfer the meat to a dish and set aside.

-Combine sugar, calamansi juice, soy sauce and water (with 1 tsp cornstarch - optional).

-Stir this into frying-pan together with reserved marinade let simmer over low heat for about 2 minutes stirring constantly.

-Return onion and meat to the pan, add in the ground pepper, and let simmer about 1-2 minutes.

-Turn off heat, cover the pan, and let rest on the pan for 2 minutes.

-Serve with steamed rice.