The Perfect Balsamic Sauce for Any Steak

Isn't that a perfect steak? It's missing one thing...the sauce! One thing you must learn about me and my recipes is that most of my ingredients are interchangable with something else. If there is an ingredient you don't like, say butter, think of what could be substituted...butter melts and becomes a liquid that food is cooked in...what other liquid is food cooked in? Oil. I'm sure there are more but that's the first one off the top of my head! If there is an ingredient you don't like, unless it's the base of the sauce or meal, don't add it or add something else, it's up to you!

Lacy's Balsamic Steak Sauce

Ingredients

- Steaks (I recommend filet mignon but I know they are a little pricey!)
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Butter or Margarine (I have even used yogurt based butter and the 0 trans fat kinds)
- a dash or 2 of red wine
- garlic powder, onion powder
- fresh chopped parsley and basil (or dried)
- dried mustard
- salt and pepper
- crushed red pepper

Preparation

To cook the steak: Set your oven to broil. Depending on where your broil is located either A) line the broiler pan with tin foil or B) place a long sheet of tin foil on the middle rack to catch the juices of the steak. Flavor the steak with salt and pepper and place on top rack or on the broiler pan that is covered with tin foil. Brown the steak on both sides, time will vary with regards to how you want the steak cooked. For a more red steak leave it in for a shorter time, for pink or less keep steak on each side for longer. A good way to check is to make a slice into the steak, put a for on one side and the knife on the other & pry the slit open a bit to check the insides. Take steak out and place on serving dish.

To prepare the sauce: Get a large skillet and cover the bottom with balsamic vinegar to about a centimeter up. Add about 3 tablespoons of butter or margarine to the pan, and the dash or 2 of red wine (optional). Let them heat, stirring ocassionally. When the mixture begins to lightly boil add a tablespoon each of the fresh chopped parsley and basil. You can substitute these with the dried herbs. Also add a teaspoon of the dried mustard and stir together. Let simmer.

As sauce begins to thicken flavor with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders. Sometimes I find that I need a bit more butter to even out the mixture or some oil to stop it from burning. Let the mixture simmer to your thickness and stir in some crushed red pepper to spice it up! When the sauce is flavored to your liking, remove it from heat and pour over the steak.

*If your steak is frozen you can chop it into large cubes and cook directly in the sauce. The steak comes out nice and tender with the juices flowing through it.