Strip Steak with Ginger Butter Sauce

I found this recipe in "America's Test Kitchen - The Best Simple Recipes" cookbook. I picked up a few strip steaks sliced thin from the Mexican Meat Market nearby - the ones they use for carne asada- unseasoned. They worked well and cooked up quickly. I served it with some steamed fresh green beans and sliced sun-dried tomato polenta fried in the same pan.


Strip Steak with Ginger Butter Sauce

3 strip steaks
1 t Chinese five-spice powder
pepper
1 T vegetable oil
3 T unsalted butter
2 T grated fresh ginger
1/2 c water
4 t soy sauce

Pat steaks dry with paper towels and season with five-spice powder and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook steaks until well browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to cutting board and tent with foil.

Melt butter in empty skillet. Add ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in water and soy sauce, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Slice steaks and drizzle with butter mixture.