Pan-Seared T-Bone Steak with Bordeaux and Shallot Sauce (French Entrecôte Bordelaise)

Entrecote Bordelaise or Bordeaux style steak, combines the richness of a hearty steak with a flavourful red wine sauce. You can't beat the combo of red wine and steak. We came upon a traditional style of preparing beef and lamb, so common to Bordeaux that it is simply referred to as à la bordelaise. It is an incredibly simple method, where the meat is seared and then served with a rich sauce made from Bordeaux wine, butter, shallots, herbs and bone marrow. Entrecôte Bordelaise takes this method and pairs it with a nice, juicy steak. (Entrecôte simply being the French word for a good cut of beef used for steaks, sometimes referred to as rib steak). The fat in the sauce and the richness of the steak are the perfect pairing for the richness and tannin in the wine. And, the light and flavourful shallots created the perfect accent to the wine's fruity finish.

1 Tbsp. butter
2 shallots, minced (~ ½ cup)
¼ tsp. sea salt
1 cup red wine, preferably Bordeaux
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 cup beef broth
1 Tbsp. beef bone marrow
1 lb T-bone steak

For the Sauce:
Heat butter in a large sauté pan. Add shallots and kosher or sea salt. Sauté over medium heat until the shallots are soft, 3 minutes.

Add the wine. Simmer over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.

Add the thyme and beef broth. Simmer over medium high heat until the sauce has reduced by half 10-15 minutes.

Stir in the marrow and season the sauce with kosher or sea salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the sauce from the heat.

For the Steak:
Heat a cast iron skillet or grill over high heat. Cook the steak for 3-5 minutes (depending on the steak's thickness) until your desired doneness is reached. (3-5 minutes per side will give you a good medium steak.)

Remove the steak from the pan and let rest for 5 minutes before topping with the sauce and serving.

Makes 2-3 servings.

Cook's Notes: If you can't find bone marrow (or a marrow bone), or just really don't want to (and, we don't blame you in the slightest), simple add an additional 1 Tbsp. of butter to the sauce to finish. This will add richness to the sauce, the way the marrow would.