Salisbury Steak Pierre

By Greg Atkinson

Salisbury was a health food advocate form the turn of the last century who recommended eating ground beef because it was easier to digest than steak. The late great Peter Canlis developed his signature take on Steak Diane even before he opened Canlis Restaurant in 1950. We revisited his recipe when we were looking for a new way to prepare ground beef for a casual weeknight supper that could be prepared quickly. A generous amount of Worcestershire Sauce lends the sauce a piquancy that might interfere with the subtle nuances of some wines, so serve this beef with beer or an easy to quaff Zinfandel. With Garlic Mashed Potatoes, this is comfort food at its best.

INGREDIENTS  (Serves 4)

1 pound ground “Mountain Beef” grass-finished beef
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup sweet (red) vermouth
2 tablespoons Lea & Perrin's Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into bits
1/4 tablespoons chopped parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

1.) Shape the beef into four rounds and press these into 1/4-inch thick “steaks.” Season the filets generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over one side of the seasoned steaks and shake off the excess.

2.) Put a large cast iron frying pan over high heat and add the olive oil, swirling the pan to coat the inside. Place the patties in the hot pan and cook until well-browned on the underside, about 4 -5 minutes. Add the chopped onion to the pan, turn the patties over and cook 2 minutes longer. Pour in the vermouth and Worcestershire sauce.

3.) Transfer the steaks to serving plates and let the pan juices boil for a few seconds longer to become concentrated. Whisk in the butter and parsley and pour the sauce over the steaks. Serve at once.