I didn’t go to Europe until I was well into my twenties, and of course Paris was one of the first places I experienced. Paris is an intimidating place and I was rightfully intimidated by everything: language, culture, customs. I didn’t know how to order properly, or that it might cost more to sit than stand at a coffee bar, or that clothing dryers are wildly uncommon in Paris apartments. But I would brave anything - the humiliation of trying to make a request in halting French to discover that the person spoke perfect English, English menu price-gouging, being fully ignored by waitstaff - for the food. French food is rich, and heavy, and glorious - and then, of course, there’s the wine. So when I returned home, I sought out cookbooks that would help me to understand what I had eaten and, of course, recreate it at home.

This recipe comes from a book published in the 1980s: Parisian Home Cooking, by Michael Roberts. Mr. Roberts is an American chef who trained and spent lengths of time in Paris. He got the idea to document what real Parisians - his friends - cooked when they were cooking at home. I love it for capturing the moment and feeling of eating in France before it became very globalized, and I adore the black and white photos of Parisians queueing at the market and examining giant rounds of cheese. This approach to French cooking makes it more accessible, which is its own version of inspiration.

This recipe is for a skirt steak covered in tender shallots. Skirt steak is an intensely beefy cut taken from the diaphragm of the cow. It has a very distinct grain to it and should be cooked to rare or medium-rare to avoid it becoming tough. All steak is more tender when it’s cut across the grain, and it’s all the more important to follow this guideline for this cut. Although you might associate French cooking with sauces (and butter, and buttery sauces), here there is no sauce, outside of the shallots and the wine used for deglazing; instead, sharp and acidic mustard balances the richness of the dish.

With some steamed spinach or sautéed asparagus and roasted potato, this is a straightforward dinner - but quite good and, dare I say, evocative of an evening in Paris.

Skirt Steak with Shallots & Mustard

Time: 15 || Servings: 4 || Source: Parisian Home Cooking

• Shallots - 3/4 cup, minced

• Butter, unsalted - 3 tbsp

• Parsley - 1 tbsp, chopped

• Skirt steak - 4 6-oz strips

• Dry white wine, such as Chardonnay - 1/4 cup

Heat a cast iron pan or other large, heavy skillet over medium high heat. Melt butter, then add shallots and cook until softened but not browned, 5-7 minutes. Season with a pinch of coarse salt and black pepper, mix in the parsley, and transfer to a small bowl. Keep warm by covering with foil or a kitchen towel.

Place the same skillet over high heat. When smoking hot, add the steaks. Season steaks with pepper and cook for 3 minutes undisturbed. Turn the steaks over and season with salt and pepper. Cook for another three minutes for rare, and up to five minutes for medium. Transfer steaks to your serving dishes.

Place the same skillet over low heat. Deglaze the pan by adding the white wine and using a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits that have stuck to the pan. Reduce the wine to a scant tablespoon, then mix it into the bowl of shallots.

Slice the steaks if desired, cutting against the grain. Spoon the shallots over the steaks and serve.