Bordelaise Sauce with Mushrooms

I used to visit the restaurant of a friend who was a chef. He made the best mushroom sauce for beef, but would not share his recipe. After trial and error, I think mine comes very close to his. This haute cuisine sauce makes everyday steaks or roasts into something a little more elegant. Serve atop grilled steaks, hamburger steaks, roasted beef or venison. Bon Appetit!

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 146 Calories

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• ⅓ cup red wine
• ¼ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons shallot, minced

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and shallot, and cook until the shallot has softened and turned translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, then stir in the mushrooms once the butter has melted. Cook and stir the mushrooms until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Step 2

Pour in the beef broth, wine, and Worcestershire sauce; season with the bay leaf and thyme, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, season to taste with salt and pepper, reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue to cook, uncovered until the sauce reduces slightly, about 30 minutes. Dissolve the cornstarch in the cold water, and stir into the simmering sauce until thickened. Remove the bay leaf before serving.