1/3 cup cognac or brandy

1/2 cup beef broth or stock

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons tomato paste

1/3 cup heavy cream

1. Place 4 beef tenderloin steaks on a cutting board, remove any twine holding them together if needed, and let sit at room temperature. Meanwhile, prepare the following: Trim and slice 6 ounces mushrooms about 1/4-inch thick (about 2 cups). Halve and thinly slice 1 large shallot. Mince 1 large garlic clove. Finely chop 1/3 cup parsley leaves.

2. Pat the steaks dry on both sides with paper towels. Using a rolling pin or the smooth side of a meat mallet, pound the steaks until about 1-inch thick (for easier cleanup, pound between two sheets of plastic wrap if desired). Season both sides with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the kosher salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the black pepper.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large frying pan or cast-iron skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the steaks and 1 tablespoon of the unsalted butter. Sear until browned on the outside, about 2 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a plate and tent with aluminum foil.

4. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Add the shallot and garlic and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the pan with a wooden spoon, until the shallots are slightly translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms are browned, 3 to 4 minutes.

...continued