• Massage both sides of the steak using 1 tablespoon of oil, and then sprinkle with salt and black pepper to your liking.
  2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 pound sirloin steak
• Heat a large skillet or frying pan on a medium-high heat.
• Once the pan is hot, put the steak in and cook it on both sides to the desired doneness. An indicator for a medium-rare steak should be about 4 minutes on each side, while for a medium steak; it should be about 5 minutes on each side. This may depend on the thickness of the steak, which may take slightly longer to cook.
• Remove the steak from the pan, transfer it to a plate, and cover it with foil to rest.
• In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta for the time indicated on the packet or until al dente. One thing to remember is that the pasta water must be seasoned with enough salt. For this quantity of pasta, you will need approximately 1 tablespoon of salt.
  14 oz dry Rigatoni pasta or penne
• Important: Remember to save at least ½ cup of the pasta water before draining it in a colander.

Creamy Mushroom Sauce

• Begin preparing the creamy mushroom sauce while the pasta cooks on the other burner.
• To a medium mixing bowl, add the cream, half a teaspoon of salt, Dijon mustard, black pepper, and balsamic vinegar. Stir and set aside.
  ½ teaspoon salt, 1¼ cups heavy cream or double cream, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the butter in a large frying pan or skillet (use the same skillet the steak was cooked in). When the butter has melted, turn the heat down to medium-low, add the onions and fry for about 4 minutes until the onions are tender.
  1 tablespoon butter, 1 large onion, 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Stir in garlic, sugar, and sauté for another 2 minutes or until the onions are light brown and caramelized.
  3 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon sugar
• Next, add the sliced mushrooms and fry them until they are golden brown, about 4 minutes.
  200 grams fresh mushrooms, sliced
• Raise the heat a little and add the whisky. Simmer the whisky until it is reduced to nearly a glaze, about 2 minutes.
  4 tablespoons whisky or bourbon
• Stir in the creamy pasta sauce you prepared earlier. Stir it through and cook for another two minutes to ensure that the ingredients heat through well and take up the flavors.
• Take the pan off the heat source. Finally, mix the grated parmesan cheese (reserve some parmesan for serving) with chopped fresh parsley. Mix to combine.
  ⅔ cup parmesan cheese, grated, 2-3 tablespoons fresh parsley

Steak and Mushroom Pasta

• Stir in the drained and cooked pasta, loosening it all gently into the sauce.
• Add the starchy pasta water you have set aside until the pasta reaches your desired consistency. I normally utilize the whole ½ cup.
• Put the pan with pasta back on the stove at medium heat and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes to combine all the flavors.
• Slice the reserved steak into thin strips.
• Serve the pasta in bowls and top with the sliced steak.
• Serve hot, garnishing with an extra touch of freshly chopped parsley, an extra sprinkle of parmesan cheese and lots of freshly ground black pepper.