Bavette Steak with Red Wine Shallot Sauce

Remove the bavette from the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Pat each piece completely dry with paper towels, then season generously on both sides with the flaky sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper.

Set a heavy cast-iron or carbon steel skillet over high heat and let it heat for 3 minutes until lightly smoking.

Add the oil to the pan and lay in the steaks without crowding, working in two batches if needed. Sear without touching for 2 minutes until a deep mahogany crust forms on the underside.

Flip each steak once and sear the second side for 2 minutes, checking the internal temperature with a meat thermometer — remove the steaks at 57°C for medium-rare, or continue to a resting temperature of 60°C for medium.

Transfer the steaks to a warm plate, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 8 minutes — flank steak seizes badly if carved immediately, so do not skip this step.

Reduce the heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the same pan along with the sliced shallots and thyme sprigs. Cook, stirring frequently, for 8 minutes until the shallots are deeply golden and soft.

Add the red wine vinegar and sugar, stirring for 30 seconds to deglaze the fond.

Pour in the red wine and simmer over medium-high heat for 4 minutes until the wine is reduced by half and smells rounded rather than sharp.

Add the beef stock and reduce for a further 3 minutes until the sauce is glossy and lightly coats the back of a spoon, then remove the thyme sprigs.

Remove the pan from the heat, add the remaining cold butter cubes, and swirl the pan continuously until the butter is fully emulsified and the sauce is silky. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Slice the rested bavette thinly against the grain at a 45-degree angle, arrange on warmed plates, spoon the shallot sauce generously over the top, and finish with the chopped flat-leaf parsley.