A little (steak) smothering can be a good thing

Every cook should have a great steak topping in his or her repertoire. Either because you A) Enjoy having a sauce smothering your steak B) Want to to stretch out a piece of meat to feed the family or C) Need to cover up a botched steak job.

I'm in category A, especially if it involves heavy cream and whiskey, but I've been known to fall under C more often that I care to admit.

When my in-laws are in town, there's always whiskey in the house. It makes for a more pleasant stay. But your in-laws might prefer bourbon, or white wine. That's fine too. Just don't use red wine, as it makes your cream sauce pink and people in my house don't eat pink food, especially if it's on a steak.

For this recipe, I've used morel mushrooms, but you can use any type of fresh mushrooms, from shiitake, crimini and baby portobello to the old standby white button mushroom.

The mushrooms can be cut into big chunks, halved or sliced, depending on the type and the size. The general rule about mushrooms is to avoid washing them under water, and instead use a paper towel to brush off any dirt. Mushrooms are like sponges, and when you soak them or even rinse them, they will absorb the water, which makes it difficult to get a good browning in the saute pan.

Find more of Jaden Hair's culinary adventures at www.steamykitchen.com.

CREAMY MUSHROOM SAUCE FOR STEAK

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 onion, minced

1 clove garlic, finely minced

2-3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 tablespoons whiskey

1 tablespoon good quality balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon finely minced fresh herb of your choice (chives, parsley, tarragon, basil, etc.)

Heat the butter in saute pan over medium heat. When the butter starts bubbling, add the onions and saute until the onions are soft, translucent and just slightly golden. Take care not to burn the onions by keeping your heat on medium or even medium-low. This will take about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for an additional minute until the garlic is fragrant.

Turn your heat to high and add the mushrooms all at once. Immediately start tossing so that the onion/garlic/butter mixture is evenly distributed amongst the mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms until they are browned and softened, about 3-5 minutes depending on the size of the mushrooms. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Pour in the whiskey and the balsamic vinegar and let the mixture bubble a bit to burn off some of the alcohol. Turn the heat down just a bit and add in the heavy cream. Let it bubble for another 30 seconds and then taste to adjust the salt. Stir in the freshly minced herbs and pour over just-grilled steak.

Makes 4 servings