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Horseradish-Chive Cream Sauce

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on July 20, 2011

Time

20 minutes

Yield

Serves 4 (Makes enough sauce for 4 steaks)

Horseradish-Chive Cream Sauce

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, chilled1 shallot, minced½ cup red wine 1 teaspoon brown sugar ½ cup low-sodium beef broth 1 teaspoon fresh chives, minced2 tablespoons sour cream 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish (Use 2 tablespoons for spicier sauce.)

Before You Begin

Use low-sodium broth and unsalted butter in this recipe or the reduced sauce may be too salty. See related content for a Cooking Lesson on pan-searing steak.

Instructions

  1. COOK AROMATICS Once steaks are cooked, transfer them to platter, tent with foil, and pour off excess fat from skillet. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in empty skillet over medium-low heat. Cook shallot until softened, about 2 minutes.
  2. REDUCE LIQUIDS Add wine and sugar to skillet and simmer over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits, until reduced to about 1 tablespoon, about 3 minutes. Add broth and any juices on plate with resting steaks and simmer until liquid is reduced to 1/3 cup, about 3 minutes.
  3. ADD FLAVORINGS Off heat, whisk in chives, sour cream, and horseradish. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over steaks.
Horseradish-Chive Cream Sauce

Horseradish-Chive Cream Sauce

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

20 minutes

Yield

Serves 4 (Makes enough sauce for 4 steaks)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, chilled
1 shallot, minced
½ cup red wine
1 teaspoon brown sugar
½ cup low-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon fresh chives, minced
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish (Use 2 tablespoons for spicier sauce.)

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, chilled
1 shallot, minced
½ cup red wine
1 teaspoon brown sugar
½ cup low-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon fresh chives, minced
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish (Use 2 tablespoons for spicier sauce.)

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, chilled
1 shallot, minced
½ cup red wine
1 teaspoon brown sugar
½ cup low-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon fresh chives, minced
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish (Use 2 tablespoons for spicier sauce.)

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

The first step was to pour off the fat from the steaks before building the sauce; otherwise it would be greasy. To draw out the flavors of red wine in our Horseradish-Chive Cream Sauce we reduced it with a scant amount of sugar before adding the other ingredients. For a cool, spicy finish, we whisked in some sour cream, horseradish, and minced fresh chives.

Before You Begin

Use low-sodium broth and unsalted butter in this recipe or the reduced sauce may be too salty. See related content for a Cooking Lesson on pan-searing steak.

Instructions

  1. COOK AROMATICS Once steaks are cooked, transfer them to platter, tent with foil, and pour off excess fat from skillet. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in empty skillet over medium-low heat. Cook shallot until softened, about 2 minutes.
  2. REDUCE LIQUIDS Add wine and sugar to skillet and simmer over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits, until reduced to about 1 tablespoon, about 3 minutes. Add broth and any juices on plate with resting steaks and simmer until liquid is reduced to 1/3 cup, about 3 minutes.
  3. ADD FLAVORINGS Off heat, whisk in chives, sour cream, and horseradish. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over steaks.

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