Steak with Blackberry-Vinaigrette Sauce

You'll notice that I don't have much in the way of beef on this blog. In fact this will be the third in nine months of blogging here...but sometimes even I like a nice piece of meat. Use any lean cut of meat, from London Broil to New York Strip. Use any steak leftovers on top of a salad or in a sandwich with fresh spinach leaves.

Total Time: 50 minutes (Including minimum marinade time)

Ingredients (4 servings )

• 1/3 cup dry red wine
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons blackberry preserves
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 pounds steak (favorite cut), trimmed of fat
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons butter

Preparation

1. Whisk wine, vinegar, blackberry preserves, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place meat in a shallow glass dish. Pour the marinade over the meat and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator, turning several times, for at least 20 minutes or up to 8 hours.
2. Remove the meat from the marinade. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan; add shallot and set aside.
3. Brush a ridged grill pan, heavy skillet or outside grill grates with oil; heat over medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook for 10 to 12 minutes per side for medium-rare, depending on thickness, or until it reaches desired doneness. (It may appear that the meat is burning but don't worry, it will form a pleasant crust.) Transfer the meat to a cutting board; let rest for 5 minutes.
4. While the meat is cooking, bring the marinade to a boil; cook over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until it is reduced to about 1/2 cup. Remove from the heat; add butter and whisk until melted.
5. Slice the meat thinly against the grain. Add any juices on the cutting board to the sauce. Serve the meat with the sauce.

Nutrition

Per serving: 216 calories; 8 g fat ( 3g sat , 3g mono ); 41 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrates; 4 g added sugars; 25 g protein; 0 g fiber; 260 mg sodium; 429 mg potassium.