It’s cool inside! It looks like I’ll be flicking on the A/C today. That’s right, it’s October 5th in Toronto and the air conditioner is in use. I thought I had bought everything needed for Thanksgiving but it looks like I’ll have to go out and get some sturdy paper plates for my outdoor Thanksgiving Dinner. Cook, serve, eat…slide everything into the waste bin…drink & relax! It’s gonna be 30C and I’m spending the whole day in the kitchen, dammit!

For those with cooler weather (Los Angeles will have a high of 20C today) and you’re stuck in the kitchen cooking, I’ve have the perfect meal for you…pan-seared steak! It’s a great autumn dish….beef, mushrooms, thyme, port, potatoes, veggies.

If you’re the type (like me) that prefers grilling, you’ll survive winter doing steaks like I’m going to show…pan-seared, finishing in the oven and served with a pan-sauce…YUM!

Pan-Seared Rib Eye With Mushrooms and Port Reduction (for tw0)

2 rib eye steaks (at least 1 inch thick)
2 Tbsp of olive oil
some unsalted butter
coarse salt and fresh cracked black pepper
1 cup of mushrooms, sliced
1 shallot, minced
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh thyme
1/3 cup of port wine
1/2 cup beef stock
1 tsp Dijon mustard
A splash of whipping cream

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350F. Place an oven-safe pan on the stove, high heat. Rub butter on your steaks and then season with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to your pan and just when the oil starts to smoke, place your steaks in the pan and reduce to a medium, medium high heat. For medium, medium rare, flip your beef after 3-4 minutes then finish of the cooking in the oven (middle rack) for 8 minutes.
2. Using your oven mitts, take out the pan, place your steaks on a plate and reserve. Place the pan back on your stove, medium-high heat and add a little more olive oil and start to saute your shallot and garlic and mushrooms and stir to brown evenly for 5 minutes.
3. Add your port wine, beef stock, thyme and turn up the heat to high and reduce to about half the volume. Lower your heat to just below medium and stir in your mustard, add your cream then taste and adjust for seasoning.
4. Place your steaks into the sauce, turn off the heat and allow the beef to heat through. Serve on a bed of mashed potatoes, pour sauce over the beef and serve with a side of veggies.