Pan-broiled steak with Marsala & hot pepper sauce

Bistecca alla diavola!

The pan broiling method is what makes this dish delish!

Ingredients

4 good quality steaks 3/4 in thick (we like rib-eyes whenever possible)

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt & Grains of Paradise to taste (use pepper if you do not have grains of paradise. But if you do not yet have them then it’s time to visit the Silk Road Spice Merchant) And read about Grains of Paradise here.

1/2 cup dry Marsala wine

1/2 cup dry red wine (chianti works nicely, as does Stolen Harvest Tart Cherry mead)

3 garlic cloves chopped

1-2 teaspoons fennel seeds lightly ground in mortar and pestle

2 tablespoons tomato paste diluted with 2 tablespoons water

1/4-1/2 tablespoon your favourite red chilli pepper mix (I dry them all summer long and make my own blends)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (Italian parsley will sub out if you are not a fan of cilantro. But if you aren’t then it’s time to broaden your horizons).

Directions

Step 1: heat oil over high heat, tipping the pan so the bottom gets well coated. Add the steaks and cook three minutes on one side, and 2-3 minutes on the other for rare meat. A few more minutes if you want medium or more (but why?). Transfer the steaks to a warm platter and season with salt and grains of paradise.

Step 2: Tip the pan and remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. Turn heat to high and add the Marsala and the mead (or dry red wine). Boil the wine for 30 second while scraping the pan to loosen the tasty bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Step 3: add the garlic, then fennel, then diluted tomato paste and the spicy pepper mix. Turn down the heat and cook for about 1 minute until the sauce is thick like a syrup.

Step 4: place steaks in pan and turn them over once. Remove from heat and transfer to a hot platter, drizzle the sauce over the steaks and garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately.