Seared Steak with Fig and Garlic Sauce

You can use any kind of steak (I used 2 strip steaks for 3 people – flank steak also works great – it doesn’t need to be an expensive cut).
Marinade:
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of fresh ginger, minced
1/4 teaspoon of allspice
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 teaspoon of salt
1/3 of cup of dry red wine
I scored the steak, put it in a resealable bag and added the marinade mixture. I flipped the bag over every hour or so and I marinated it all day (from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.) but, you can definitely leave it over night.

For the sauce…heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a cast iron skillet. Add 1 thinly sliced onion and cook it for 10 minutes on medium/high heat (it should be soft and golden). Transfer the onion to a bowl or plate.
In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup dry red wine, 1/3 cup of thinly sliced dried figs (remove stems), 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ginger, minced, 1/8 of a teaspoon of allspice, 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper

Add a bit more oil to the skillet, discard the marinade and sear the steak in the skillet for 2-3 minutes on each side. Reduce the heat and cook for about 5 minutes for medium/rare (I always use a meat thermometer to ensure I am getting it to the right temperature for the type of steak I like). Remove the steak and let it rest under foil for at least 10 minutes.

Add the onion and wine mixture to the pan and bring it to a boil. Cook, stirring and scraping up and brown bits and the sauce will thicken in about 2 minutes.

Serve the steak drizzled with the sauce. I served it with french fries and peas and mushrooms and salad.

Written by Pam