Pan-Fried Steak

After a long day at the office, there are few things better than unwinding with a delicious steak. This meal is all about showcasing the star ingredient - the beef. The best part? You can have a steakhouse-quality meal at home for a fraction of the price. And you can easily do it in just 30 minutes. Let's get started.

Ingredients

• 1 strip steak
• 1/4 small sweet onion
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 bouillon cube (approximate)
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Dry oregano to taste

Instructions

First, we have to start with the right pan. Ideally, you want a flat-bottomed pan that will stick a little. That means stay away from Teflon. I used a copper saute pan. Start by pouring in some olive oil, enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Turn the heat up to almost as high as it goes. We want to char the outside of the meat, but we don't want the oil to pop too much.

While we're waiting for the pan to heat up, we'll prepare the other ingredients. If you have a favorite dry rub for your steak, feel free to use that. However, I think simplicity is best here. Lightly salt and pepper each side of the steak. Chop the onion into small pieces.

Next, place the steak in the pan. It should be sizzling as soon as it hits the oil. Let it cook for 4 minutes on each side, turning it with tongs. You'll notice the meat sticks to the pan and leaves a residue when you flip it. We'll want this for later. 4 minutes a side will leave the beautiful pink color and juiciness inside the steak. If your piece is particularly thin or thick, alter the cooking time accordingly. The hot pan will leave a nice char on the outside.

Once the steak is done, remove it from the pan and turn the heat to medium. We will now make the sauce. Drop the onion pieces into the pan and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Once the onions have softened and developed a little color, pour in the wine and water. Drop in the bouillon and crush it with a spoon. I only use 1/3 of the bouillon cube to prevent the sauce from getting too salty. Season to taste with oregano. You can use your spoon to scrape the meat residue stuck in the pan to integrate them into the sauce. You can see this in the photo above.

Now, turn the heat up and reduce the sauce. Keep tasting the sauce as you go along, and you will notice that the raw wine taste will give way to a deep, rich, meaty flavor. After a few minutes, you are ready to serve. Spoon the onions and the sauce over the steak.

Pictured here are white rice and peas as accompaniments. The rice is delicious with the extra pan sauce and onions poured over it. You'll want a robust drink to go with this meal; I chose Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, my favorite of the Guinness varieties.