Minute Steaks with Morel Mushroom Sauce

​          This rich wild mushroom sauce served over perfectly seared minute steaks and pasta is an ideal dinner for a cool late winter/early spring night. You can use up your stash of dried morels from the previous year (thanks to my mother-in-law in the midwest for sending us some) just before it's time to go hunting for more!
You could probably use any dried mushroom of your choosing in this recipe. You do need that soaking liquid to make the sauce full of 'shroomy flavor so using fresh instead of dried would effect the depth of flavor but that's your call! 

​       Minute steaks are called that for a reason. They are delcious little lean steaks but you want to cook them quick and hot...don't over cook! ​

Ingredients:
1 pound minute steaks 
Egg noodles or fettuccine noodles
2 oz dried morels (this equals approx a heaping 4c.worth)
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
¼ minced onion, white or yellow
3 cloves garlic minced
1 c. Dry sherry
2 c. heavy cream
¼ tsp salt (added to sauce)
1 Tbs. Fresh lemon juice
½ tsp ground dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
​Tbsp Olive oil (for cooking steaks)


MORELS

In a 2 qt saucepan bring 2 c. water to boil over high heat. Remove from heat and add the dried morels, cover and soak until soft and rehydrated, about 30 minute. Take them out with a slotted spoon and after straining as much liquid back into the pot as possible, place mushrooms aside in a separate dish.
Strain the soaking liquid through a sieve with cheese cloth or a coffee filter to remove any dirt/grit and return the liquid back to that same saucepan (after rinsing pan), Over medium-high heat, reduce the soaking liquid to 1/4c. Set this concentrated liquid aside in a different container like a glass jar/bowl etc. 


ONION/GARLIC/MOREL MIXTURE 
In the same saucepan you just drained the mushroom liquid from, melt the butter and add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and golden brown about 2 minutes
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the rehydrated morrels. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring often until combined and warmed throughout



NOODLES
While cooking other items, prepare your egg/fettucine noodles as directed on package. Drain and set aside.

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STEAKS
Heat about a Tbsp of olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat until oil is hot but not smoking. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of salt & pepper on just one side of each steak. Place the minute steaks in the pan to seer in batches so there is no crowding in the pan.  Cook for approximately 1-1 ½ minutes on each side. Set your steaks aside on a plate covered with foil.

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MOREL CREAM SAUCE
Keep the sautee pan you just cooked the steaks in, hot with all the drippings and remaining oil. Add the dry sherry to the pan to de-glaze it, scraping the bottom of the pan. Allow the sherry to reduce down a bit while constantly stirring.
Add the mushroom soaking liquid,cream, ¼ tsp salt & onion/garlic/morel mixture to the saute pan and bring to a boil while stirring frequently. Then turn down the heat to a simmer, allowing the sauce to thicken, about 10 minutes.
Once the sauce is cooked down turn off the burner and add the lemon juice and thyme to the sauce and stir to combine. We like the sauce just like this but taste it and add any pepper or more salt if you’d like.

                            Plate your pasta & minute steaks and pour the cream sauce over each as desired.  

​                     **This recipe makes a large dinner portion for 2 adults with a little leftover for one lunch.**