Another great, simple sauce based on anchovies (there are two in the pasta chapter; see pages 263 and 271). You get acidity, astringency, and fruitiness from the wine, piquancy from the garlic and anchovy, complexity from the thyme, and a smooth finish from the butter—all in about the time it takes to preheat a grill for the steaks. You don’t need great red wine for this sauce, but it should be one with a fair amount of fruit and at least a little structure.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　2 cups fruity but sturdy red wine, like Côtes-du-Rhône, Zinfandel, or California Cabernet

　　1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

　　6 anchovy fillets with some of their oil

　　1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

　　4 rib-eye steaks (about 6 ounces each) or 2 larger steaks

　　2 tablespoons butter

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

Put the wine in a small saucepan and turn the heat to high. Reduce, stirring occasionally, to about 1/2 cup. Meanwhile, start a grill.

　　

Step 2

When the wine is reduced, turn the heat down so the reduction simmers and stir in the garlic, anchovies, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the anchovies dissolve. When the grill is ready, cook the steaks for about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare or a little longer or shorter according to your preference.

　　

Step 3

Beat the butter into the sauce until it is smooth, then season to taste. Slice the steaks, drizzle with the sauce, and serve.

　　From Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes From the New York Times by Mark Bittman Copyright (c) 2007 by Mark Bittman Published by Broadway Books.Mark Bittman is the author of the blockbuster Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.