Date Night Steak with Seared Wild Mushrooms and Mustard Pan Sauce

This recipe comes from chef, recipe writer, and food stylist Emily Cooper.

Date-Night Steak with Seared Wild Mushrooms & Mustard Pan Sauce

A hot cast iron pan works magic in this elegant one-pan supper that’s perfect for a special date night at home. Farm-fresh meat and produce, plus a few simple techniques, yields restaurant-worthy results in less than an hour. 

Grass-fed steaks from Twisted Horn Ranch are perfectly marbled with fat for texture and peak flavor. Seasoning them with fermented shio koji salt mixed with savory porcini mushroom powder from Shared Cultures lends flavor to an easy pan sauce, all finished in just a few minutes while the steak rests. Meaty local mushrooms from Far West Fungi add texture, and a punchy Chardonnay mustard from McEvoy Ranch rounds things off with a kick of heat to balance the richness of the pan sauce. 

Season with a squeeze of lemon for a hit of acid, alongside some butter for richness, and you have a perfect date-night steak dinner at home.  

Ingredients 

• 2 (12-16 oz) Twisted Horn Ranch Grass-Fed steaks 
• 2 teaspoons Shared Cultures Koji Salt with Porcini & Garlic 
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or neutral oil, divided 
• 6 oz Far West Fungi Mixed Exotic Mushrooms, torn into bite-sized pieces  
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 
• 2 teaspoons Momofuku Soy Sauce  
• 1 shallot, finely chopped 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• ¾ cup chicken or beef broth 
• 2 tablespoons McEvoy Ranch Chardonnay mustard 
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice 
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or chives, roughly chopped 

Makes 2 servings 

25 minutes active time 

30 minutes total time 

Remove the steaks from the packaging and pat dry with paper towels. Season each side with ½ teaspoon of koji salt (1 teaspoon total per steak) and let come to cool room temperature, at least 15 and up to 30 minutes. 

Warm 1 tablespoon of oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is very hot, add the mushrooms and sear until golden brown and they release their liquids, 6-8 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to melt and 2 teaspoons of soy sauce. Stir to combine, transfer to a plate, and cover to keep warm. 

Wipe out the skillet and return the pan to medium-high heat. When the pan begins to give off wisps of smoke, about 3 minutes, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable or neutral oil. Add the steak and sear on the first side until a crust forms, about 3 minutes. Flip the steak and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 130°F for medium-rare (the steak will continue to rise in temperature to 135°F for medium-rare as it rests). Transfer the steak to a cutting board, cover, and let rest for 5 minutes while you prepare the sauce. 

Return the pan to medium-low heat and add the chopped shallot and garlic. Saute until translucent, 2 minutes. Add ¾ cup of chicken or beef broth, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon from the pan. Stir in 2 tablespoons of mustard, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by half, about 3-4 minutes. Off the heat, stir in 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter to melt and add the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with more of the porcini salt and freshly ground pepper. 

Slice the steak across the grain and transfer to plates. Divide the mushrooms between the plates and drizzle with the pan sauce. Sprinkle everything with the chopped fresh herbs and serve.