Description
This retro restaurant classic, Diane Sauce, is super simple to make and it’s rich and indulgent enough that it feels a little special.
The default recipe serves 4
Ingredients
Scale
SERVES 4
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 150g mushrooms, sliced thinly
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 125ml / 1/2 cup cognac (see note 1 & 2)
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 125ml / 1/2 cup double or heavy cream
- 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot add the shallots and mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms are browned. Don’t worry if you get brown bits of shallot stuck to the bottom of the pan – this will add to the flavour.
- Add the garlic and mustard and stir everything together and cook for a further minute.
- If you want to flambé the sauce (set the alcohol alight in the pan): Increase the heat to high and standing back with arms outstretched, tilt the pan away from you. Pour in the cognac and use a long match or lighter to set the alcohol alight. Swill the pan a few times and the flame will disappear after a few moments as the alcohol burns out. (see note 4 & 5)
- If you don’t want to flambé the sauce: Carefully pour in the brandy, keeping it away from the flames if you are cooking on a flame/gas hob/stove. Stir everything for a minute or two until the cognac has reduced down and the alcohol evaporated.
- Use a wooden spoon to loosen any burnt bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the Worcestershire sauce and stir everything together.
- Add the cream and cook for a further couple of minutes until thickened. Stir through the chopped parsley and season to taste.
Notes
- You can use good quality brandy instead of cognac (cognac is simply the name given to brandy produced in the cognac region).
- The alcohol burns out during the cooking process, but if you don’t want to use any alcohol then you can use beef stock instead of the cognac.
- If you are making this to go with steak then you can simply use the same pan as you just cooked the steak in and the residual oil or butter and make this while the steak rests.
- For safety, measure out the cognac separately into a glass before adding it to the pan.
- You can also tilt the pan slightly into the flame if you are using a gas cooker, although a little trickier to get the hang of – and be very careful!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Hob / Stove
- Cuisine: Sauce
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 250
- Fat: 18g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Protein: 1g
Keywords: sauce, steak sauce, mushrooms, indulgent, cream