Valentina

I'm pretty sure you're referring to the kind of "steak" that comes from cows...

Here's a recipe:

PAN-SEARED STEAKS WITH SHALLOT SAUCE
Source: Bon Apetit
Serves: 2

2 3/4-inch thick top loin steaks (aka New York Strip steaks)
1/2 cup canned beef broth
3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoon chilled butter
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon

Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Heat medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks and cook about 4 minutes per side for rare; transfer to plates. Add remaining ingredients to skillet. Boil until sauce thickens, scraping up any browned bits, about 3 minutes. Spoon sauce over steaks.

Serve with thick-cut fries, sautéed mushrooms, and peppermint stick ice cream, OR, for a more glamorous meal, “begin with Champagne and caviar, offer roasted potatoes and spinach soufflé with the steak, and have chocolate truffles afterwards.”

NOTES: When I made a version of this, I used one steak, and I cooked it in my 6-qt sauté pan (which is huge, not medium-sized). I didn’t have sherry vinegar, so I think I may have used a mixture of balsamic vinegar and cream sherry (I can’t remember exactly, though; maybe I used sherry only). The result was VERY good, though it was overly salty—probably because I used the Campbell’s canned beef broth and didn’t taste enough while it was cooking; I may have actually added more salt at the end without tasting it first. Because of the size of the pan, I may have reduced it too much. But still, it was extremely tasty and I want to do it again.

SOME SUGGESTIONS: If you're confused about the steaks, go to a good grocery (like Whole Foods/Fresh Fields, Bristol Farms, etc) and ask the guys as the meat counter.

If you're not familiar with shallots: they're usually found near the garlic in the produce section. They look like small elongated onions, with papery light-brown skin. They taste like a cross between onion and garlic; they're awesome!

Use low-sodium beef broth, or instead of canned broth, look for a carton of "Beef Stock."

Taste while you cook!

I might also suggest that you pick up a copy of a basic cookbook, such as Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything."

Even though the recipe above looks pretty simple, there are lots of things that can go wrong with even a simple recipe if you're not very experienced in the kitchen....I think you should try this...(But maybe make reservations at a good restaurant, just in case!)

Good luck and let me know how it goes!