Lunch: Sautéed Steaks with Red Wine and Peppers

This steak recipe is a flavorful balance of sweetness from the vegetables, acidity from the wine and richness from the beef.

Ingredients

4 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 large clove garlic
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
4 top chuck steaks (about 2 pounds in all)
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
3/4 c. red wine

Instructions

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium frying pan over moderately low heat. Stir in the onion, oregano, garlic, and bell peppers. Cook, covered, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
In a large stainless-steel frying pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately high heat. Season the steaks with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Put the steaks in the hot pan and cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and cook until done to medium rare, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Remove.
Add the bell-pepper mixture, the wine, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper to the large frying pan. Boil until the wine is completely absorbed, about 5 minutes. Serve the steak topped with the vegetables.
Notes: Pounding Meat: Pounding tenderizes meat and also makes it thinner so it will cook more quickly. Cover the meat with a piece of plastic wrap or waxed paper and then flatten the steak with a traditional meat pounder or the bottom of a heavy frying pan. Or, ask your butcher to pound the meat for you.
Wine Recommendation: With these steaks, you need a richly flavored, full-bodied red. Take a break from the same old cabernet sauvignon and try a refosco, a robust yet surprisingly sophisticated wine from the extreme northeast corner of Italy.

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