Beef Steaks with Red Chile and Wine Sauce
Bistec con Salsa de Chile Rojo y VinoA special chile and wine sauce tops some excellent steaks at Tequila, a restaurant in Cabo San Lucas, an area of popular resorts at the tip of Baja, Mexico. This is tourist country, but here the chef has a creative touch and turns out good classic Mexican dishes as well. Serve the steaks with roasted potatoes and a green vegetable.
Ingredients
Makes 4 servings
- 2 ancho chiles toasted and seeded
- 2 plum tomatoes cut in half lengthwise
- 2 medium garlic cloves peeled
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 cup canned fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 4 beef tenderloin fillet steaks or New York strip steaks ¾ inch thick
Instructions
- Prepare the ancho chiles, then cut them into pieces and soak in hot water to soften, 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile put the tomatoes and garlic cloves in a small, dry nonstick skillet and pan-roast them, turning occasionally with tongs, until the garlic is slightly soft with some brown spots, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a blender.
- Continue to cook the tomatoes another 2 to 3 minutes, or until they are charred a bit on both sides.
- Add to the blender with the garlic.
- Add the soaked ancho chiles, the crushed red pepper, and ½ cup of the chicken broth.
- Blend until very smooth.
- Reserve in the blender.
- In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat.
- Add the puréed mixture gently to the pan (so it won't splatter) and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
- Add the wine and the remaining chicken broth.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the butter and ½ teaspoon of the salt.
- Reserve off heat.
- Heat the remaining oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season the steaks with salt and pepper.
- Cook the steaks 3 to 4 minutes per side or until browned on the outside and pink and juicy inside, or adjust time for desired doneness.
- Reheat the sauce.
Notes & Wine Advice
Serve the steaks with a portion of the sauce spooned on top. Pass any remaining sauce at the table.