French Onion Steaks

I'm not sure I have ever expressed my love for French onion soup, but it is undeniably delicious.  The fact that I have two different versions of it on my blog may have given you a clue, but this dish is the tipping point and it was amazing.  TGIF!  I am so ready to spend time outside, bbq, swim, do projects around the house, and maybe even go out mushroom hunting!  This evening we are headed out to farm country to hang with two of our good friends, it will be very nice and relaxing to spend time out of the city.  Lately the city life has been getting to me (which is very rare), I've just been feeling the need for space, silence, and some solitude.  It must have something to do with how quickly Portland is expanding, an estimated 700,000 people are predicted to move here over the next 20 years and we are already running out of room :(  Anyway I hope you all have a fabulous weekend and perhaps you will make this delicious recipe that I adapted.

Serves 2

The Ingredients
2 petite sirloin steaks
4 slices of Swiss cheese
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup warm beef broth
Onion flakes
Garlic powder
Olive oil
Salt and pepper


The Process
1. Rinse beef steak and pat dry. Pat salt, pepper, onion flakes, and garlic flakes evenly onto meat.

2.  In a medium frying pan and heat olive oil over medium heat, when hot add onions.  Let the onions cook for a couple minutes and then add a little salt and the balsamic vinegar.  You are going to continue to cook them for about 15-20 minutes to give them a quick caramelized flavor.

2. While onions are cooking pour olive oil into an 8- to 10-inch ovenproof nonstick frying pan over high heat; tilt to coat pan bottom. When hot, add steak and brown on both sides, about 4 minutes total. Supporting meat with tongs, tip steak onto its edge and rotate to brown lightly, about 2 minutes total.

3. Put pan with steak in a 400° regular or convection oven and bake until meat is done to your taste (cut to test), 8 minutes for rare or about 25 minutes for well done.

4. Turn oven heat to broil. Remove pan and mound caramelized onions onto meat and lay two pieces of Swiss cheese over each steak. Broil in pan about 6 inches from heat until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pan from oven and pour broth around meat, stirring to release browned bits.

5. Then serve on plates but make sure to serve with some of the broth. (Broth not in the picture)