Steaks with Balsamic Mushroom Sauce

4 steaks or 2 large steaks cut in half (about 1 1/4 lbs in total) Use whatever cut you like best
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp finely chopped shallot, or 1/4 finely diced onion
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup plus 2 tsp chicken broth
3/4 tsp cornstarch


Heat a large frying pan over medium high heat with about a tbsp of oil until nice and hot. Put the steaks in the pan and cook about 4-6 minutes per side. This should make them about medium-rare. Remove the steaks from the pan, place on a platter and cover with aluminum foil. Sitting on the platter they will cook to medium. If you like your steaks more done than this, feel free to adjust the cooking time.

While the steaks are resting, add butter to the frying pan along with mushrooms and shallots (or onion) and saute until the mushrooms are browned and tender, about 4 minutes. Once they are done cooking, add them to the platter with the steaks.

Add the vinegar and soy sauce to the pan, making sure to scrape up the delicious browned bits on the bottom. Let cook about 2 minutes and then add broth and let simmer. While the sauce is simmering, add remaining 2 tsp of broth to a cup with the cornstarch. Stir them together and add to the pan and stir well. As it starts to simmer it will thicken up the sauce. Take the entire plate of steaks and mushrooms and return them to the pan along with any meat juices that have accumulated. Turn the steaks over in the sauce letting them get covered and delicious. Serve the steaks with the sauce and mushrooms smothered over top.