French Onion Salisbury Steak

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Servings: servings

Calories: 662kcal

1 ¼ pound ground beef I prefer 80/20 for this dish so the beef juices give some body to the sauce and also so the patties will hold together
2 tablespoons garlic fresh minced, divided
2 tablespoons scallion fresh chopped
¼ cup parsley fresh chopped
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup flour **reserve what you do not use after dredging
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups onions sweet like Vidalia's, sliced
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence may substitute fresh or dried thyme
½ cup red wine
2 cups beef stock

Combine the ground beef, parsley, scallion, salt and pepper. Divide evenly into 4 portions and shape each into 3/4"-1" thick oval patties, about the size and thickness of hamburgers. Place flour in a shallow dish and dredge each patty. Reserve any remaining flour.
Heat the olive oil and the tablespoon of butter in a deep sided skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add patties and sauté 3 minutes on each side until browned. Do not cook all of the way through. Remove from pan to a plate and cover with aluminum to keep warm.
Add onions and sugar to the pan and sauté 5 minutes, scraping up the fond or brown bits in the bottom of the pan. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute. Make a well in the center of the pan amidst the onions. Add the tomato paste to the well and sauté until paste begins to brown. **Be sure to allow the tomato paste to brown and even to burn slightly. Keep moving the paste around the well using a metal spatula to keep it from burning completely.
Sprinkle onions with reserved flour and cook 1 minute. Stir in the wine and scrape the fond. Then add the salt and Herbs de Provence or thyme. Stir and scrape the fond again. Add the beef stock all at once. Again stir and scrape the fond. Reduce heat to a simmer.
Return the steaks and their juices to the pan. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. I like to simmer for 15, then off heat, uncovered for another 5 to 10 to allow the sauce to thicken upon standing.

To prepare the cheese toasts, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place the bread slices on a baking sheet.
Combine softened butter, garlic and shredded Parmesan in a bowl using the tines of a fork to ensure it is well mixed, almost paste-like. Spread on one side of each slice of bread. Sprinkle the shredded Swiss evenly over the butter. Bake until bread is crisp and cheese is bubbly, 10-15 minutes.

Serve steaks atop cheese toasts with the red wine and onion sauce ladled over. Garnish with parsley and additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.