Serves: 8

A few years ago, I typed up this absolutely brilliant and iconic Thomas Keller dish, the “Yabba Dabba Do“. It is served with a classic Bordelaise sauce and this really is the finest of the juses.

One of our favourite dishes at what was an excellent, local French restaurant – before it closed – was a rib eye, bone-in served smothered with braised mushrooms.

So why not combine the two?

I adjusted this recipe to separate the mushrooms from the Bordelaise sauce and then to reduce the sauce, ready to serve at the side.

My mother joined us from a wonder, late-Autumn French lunch and the tomahawk I cooked over charcoal, with these mushrooms and the Bordelaise sauce was an absolute highlight.

For the rare occasions we do eat beef, this is unquestionably a recipe we will return to.

So rich. So satisfying. Classy!

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp shallot, minced
1 tsp minced garlic
3 tbsp butter
2 cups, sliced assorted mushrooms
1 c beef broth
1/3 c red wine
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp chopped fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp cold water

Method

1. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a skillet over a 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 tbsp 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.
2. Pour in the beef broth, wine and Worcestershire sauce; season with the bay leaf and thyme, and bring to a simmer over a medium-high heat. Once simmering, season to taste, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, uncovered until the sauce reduces slightly, about 30 minutes.
3. Strain the mushrooms and solids, and set aside, retaining the sauce.
4. Continuing on a medium-low heat, continue to simmer the sauce for another few minutes. Dissolve the cornstarch in the cold waer and stir into the simmering sauce until thickened.
5. Serve the mushrooms along the Bordelaise sauce, ready to pour.