It is possible to make steakhouse quality steak in your own home. It all starts with a great steak. Visit a local butcher, and look for a dry-aged cut with plenty of marbling. Porterhouse, New York strip, and ribeye are all cuts that tend to be tender and succulent. Once you have a great steak in hand, all that's left to do is prepare it. Here's how to prepare your steak in a way that makes it taste like it came from the kitchen of a top-class steakhouse.

Steak With Rosemary and Red Wine

One secret to keep in mind when cooking steak is that the flavors you add should accentuate the flavor of the meat -- not hide it. Rosemary and red wine are simple ingredients that bolster the natural flavor of steak. This recipe is a good one for the winter months when you don't want to drag out the grill.

Ingredients:

• A good-quality steak, cut thick
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions (preparing the steak):

Rub the steak with the salt and a sprinkling of black pepper. Let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. (The steak will cook more evenly if allowed to come to room temperature before cooking.)

Add a small amount of vegetable oil to a skillet, and heat it over medium heat. Add your steak to the pan, and sear for 5 - 8 minutes per side, depending on desired level of doneness. Midway through cooking, sprinkle the rosemary into the pan. Use a thermometer to test the internal temperature. You want 120 degrees F for rare, 130 for medium rare, or 140 for medium.

Remove the steak from the pan, and set it on your plate to rest while you prepare the sauce.

Directions (preparing the sauce):

Pour the red wine into the skillet, and use a spoon to scrape all of the drippings off the bottom of the pan. Adjust the heat to medium-low, and allow the wine to come to a simmer. Watch it closely. When the wine reduces in volume by half, remove the sauce from the heat. Then, swirl in the butter, allowing it to melt and incorporate into the sauce, thickening it.

Spoon the sauce over your steak, and serve. You could also serve it on the side in a tiny sauce bowl.

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