Tim Hayward's steak Diane recipe

Steak Diane is still one of the most popular dishes to cook tableside on a guéridon cart. You probably won’t need to do this at home, but you will need to work at the same blinding speed as a hassled waiter, so this recipe is simple and sure-fire, as long as your mise-en-place is completely squared away.

Arrange your chopped shallots and garlic in little piles on a plate alongside your sliced mushrooms, so everything is close to hand. (For pure retro authenticity, I sometimes use tinned button mushrooms – thank you, Len Deighton – but it’s also sensational with reconstituted dried porcini.) Put the butter onto the plate in a big ugly lump and have the mustard ready on a teaspoon, too. Measure the brandy into a shot glass and have the cream ready to pour, either in its original container or a jug. Open the Worcestershire sauce. Then you’re ready to go.

Serves 1

• 1 sirloin steak
• 50g butter
• 3 shallots, very finely chopped
• 150g small button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
• 50ml brandy
• 1tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2tsp Dijon mustard
• 250ml whipping cream

Heat a dry cast-iron skillet over a high heat until it’s as hot as you can get it, then sear the steak on both sides. Use a probe thermometer to check the internal temperature and remove the steak when it reaches 56°C. Set aside on a plate to rest.

Reduce the heat a little and add the butter. While it’s still foaming, add the shallots, allowing them to soften and become translucent.

Add the mushrooms and keep stirring until they start to brown a little at the edges, then add the garlic.

Pour in the brandy and the Worcestershire sauce, then add the mustard and allow everything to bubble until you can smell that the alcohol has boiled off. You can set fire to it if anyone is watching, but it doesn’t add much beyond theatre. Now add the cream, stir it through and reduce to a simmer.

Pour in any juices from the rested steak, then pour the sauce over the steak and serve.

Taken from Steak: The Whole Story by Tim Hayward (Quadrille, £30) Photography by Sam Folan. Read the review of the book here