Café de Paris - Steak butter sauce

Name: Café de Paris - Steak butter sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Yield: 4 - 6 steaks
Ingredients: 100g / 7 tbsp unsalted butter; 2 tbsp eschalot; 1 garlic; 3 anchovy fillets; 1 tsp lemon juice; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 tsp curry powder; 1/2 tsp paprika; 1 tsp kosher / cooking salt; 2 tsp tarragon; 2 tsp parsley; Steaks of choice; 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt per steak; 1/4 tsp black pepper per steak; 1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil

User Reviews

4.9

66 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
10 mins
Servings
4 - 6 steaks
Calories
196 kcal
Course
Main Course, Condiments
Cuisine
French

Café de Paris - Steak butter sauce

Kai Walton

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Recipe video above. Café de Paris is a butter for steak flavoured with a mix of herbs, spices and savoury condiments. Despite the name, it originates from Switzerland, popularised by a restaurant called "Café de Paris". Now a staple steak sauce around the world (including in Paris!), slices of this compound butter are placed on hot steaks so they melt to form a butter sauce. It's so simple, yet so incredibly good!Makes enough for 4 to 6 steaks, depending on how much butter you want on your steaks. Keeps for 2 months in the fridge, also excellent over seafood, poultry and hot steamed veg!

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Ingredients

Servings

100g / 7 tbsp unsalted butter , softened
2 tbsp eschalot (small), very finely chopped (Note 1)
1 garlic , finely minced
3 anchovy fillets , finely chopped (Note 2)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp curry powder (mild, Note 3)
1/2 tsp paprika (plain or sweet, not smoked or spicy)
1 tsp kosher / cooking salt
2 tsp tarragon , finely chopped (Note 4)
2 tsp parsley , finely chopped

Steak:

Steaks of choice (Note 5)
1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt per steak
1/4 tsp black pepper per steak
1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil

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Instructions

Café de Paris butter:

Place ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.
Place on cling wrap and roughly shape into a 20cm / 8" log using spatulas or butter knives.
Roll up, then twist ends tightly. As you tighten the ends, the butter will shape into a neat, firm log.
Tie ends if needed to keep the shape. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until firm.
To use - Slice into 0.7cm (1/3") slices, then let them soften to room temperature (so they melt easier). Place on hot steak so it melts - I use 2 slices each steak. Leftovers - fridge 3 days or freeze 2 months (pre sliced for ease of use).

Cooking Steak:

Bring to room temp: Take the steak out of the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking.
Dry: Pat steaks dry with paper towels.
Heat skillet: Heat oil in a heavy based skillet over high heat until it is very hot - you should see smoke!
Season: Sprinkle each side of the steak generously with salt and pepper, then immediately place in the skillet.
Cook steak to taste: For 2cm (3/4") thick steaks, cook the first side for 2 minutes, then turn and cook the other side for 2 minutes (medium rare 52°C/125°F, chart below for other doneness temps).
Rest: Transfer steaks to a warm plate, cover loosely with foil and rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then serve.
Leftovers - fridge 3 days or freeze 2 months (pre sliced for ease of use).

Notes

Eschalots - Also known as French onions, and are called “shallots” in the US. They look like baby onions, but have purple-skinned flesh, are finer and sweeter. Not to be confused with what some people in Australia call “shallots” ie the long green onions.
Anchovies - This is an essential ingredient for a really great, authentic Café de Paris. It adds depth of flavour and salt to the butter. It does not make the butter taste fishy, it just blends in as a background flavour. It makes this butter GREAT, don't skip it!
Substitute with 3/4 to 1 teaspoon of anchovy paste.
Curry powder - Any curry powder is fine here because it's a complimentary rather than dominant flavour. I use Keens or Clives of Indian, both sold at Woolworths, Coles and other large grocery stores in Australia.
Tarragon - A common soft herb used in French cooking with a mild aniseed flavour.
Steaks - Key to cooking steak well is getting a great deep golden crust. To achieve this, you must not crowd the pan. So unless you're cooking small eye fillet steaks (aka tenderloin steak / filet mignon), don't cook more than 2 steaks at a time.
Internal temperature cooked steak:
Medium rare is the default doneness restaurants will prepare a steak to (definitely my favourite!).
Nutrition - For butter only, per 25g portion.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 196cal (10%) Carbohydrates 3g (1%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 21g (32%) Saturated Fat 13g (65%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 5g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 56mg (19%) Sodium 618mg (26%) Potassium 100mg (3%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 803IU (16%) Vitamin C 2mg (2%) Calcium 31mg (3%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4- 6 steaks

Amount Per Serving

Calories 196 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	196cal	10%
Carbohydrates	3g	1%
Protein	1g	2%
Fat	21g	32%
Saturated Fat	13g	65%
Polyunsaturated Fat	1g	6%
Monounsaturated Fat	5g	25%
Trans Fat	1g	50%
Cholesterol	56mg	19%
Sodium	618mg	26%
Potassium	100mg	2%
Fiber	1g	4%
Sugar	1g	2%
Vitamin A	803IU	16%
Vitamin C	2mg	2%
Calcium	31mg	3%
Iron	1mg	6%