Steak diane is the kind of dish our parents used to prepare and serve in the 1960s to impress friends or special guests. With robust flavours and a rich sauce, it belongs on a depths-of-winter menu. So, (a) what is it doing on a blog in 2014? and (b) why did we cook it around the midpoint of Spring?

Well, firstly, we think this dish is timelessly classy, provided the pieces of steak are of sufficient quality. In the ’60s, that meant eye fillet; nowadays, we are able to buy tender, flavoursome rump steaks from our butcher.

As for winter, our beef menu was crowded with attempted reproductions of dishes enjoyed when we were in Europe during our Autumn. Besides, as is well known, Spring in Melbourne can bring almost every type of weather, from snow on nearby hills to a warm drought.

The recipe is provided with the consent of Sydney food critic, Terry Durack, one of our favourite writers.  We have made some minor modifications along the way. Mashed potato, green beans and carrots make perfect partners or you could serve it with some potato wedges and a green salad.

Ingredients

2 pieces of eye fillet or quality rump steak, about 180g each, firmly hand-pressed between two sheets of cling wrap
10ml olive oil
10g butter
30ml brandy
50ml beef or chicken stock
30ml Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Dijon mustard
salt and pepper
60ml cream
1 tbsp snipped chives
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Method

1. Heat the oil and butter in a non-stick frypan over medium heat and sear the steaks for 2-3 minutes. Turn and briefly cook the other side. Season and keep warm.
2. Add brandy to the pan and reduce it over medium heat.
3. Reduce the heat to low and add the stock, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper, stirring with a wooden spoon.
4. Stir in the cream, herbs and any juices from the resting meat. Cook the sauce for about 5 minutes, then add the steaks to gently warm them and coat them in the sauce.