Steak and potatoes get a showman’s flair with this recipe for Steak Diane, complete with flaming brandy, from Jessica Seely, a chef apprentice at Johnson County Community College.

Seely first tried the recipe when she attended a summer arts camp in high school. When she returned home to Wichita, she made it for her dad, Douglas Seely, who still lives in Wichita.

He loved it and has asked her to make it for every special occasion since.

“It’s fun,” she said. “It’s like a show with the brandy.”

Seely admitted it was a little bit scary the first time she flamed the brandy, but she offers these safety tips:

• Make sure you have plenty of clearance above the pan if the flames shoot high. Also, move potholders, towels and other objects away from the stove. Don’t wear long flowing sleeves when you’re making this dish.

• Make sure you tilt the pan away from you when you ignite the brandy and be careful to keep the brandy in the pan.

• The flames should extinguish themselves. But keep a pan cover handy just in case. Also have your kitchen fire extinguisher in reach.

Seely serves the Steak Diane with garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed green beans. She usually prepares the potatoes first, then puts them in the oven to keep them warm. If the green beans have been blanched in advance, they can be sautéed quickly as the tenderloin filets are cooking to the desired doneness.

Seely recommends cooking the steak to medium rare. When ready to serve, mound the potatoes on the plate, then stack the green beans and steak on top, covering with sauce from pan.

Steak Diane

Makes 2 servings

For the steak:

2 tablespoons clarified butter

2 (6-ounce) beef tenderloin fillets

Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 shallot, minced

1 1/2 cups baby portobello mushrooms, sliced

1  1/2 cups Red Wine Demi-Glace (recipe below)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped

2 tablespoons brandy

1 tablespoon cold butter

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

For the Red Wine Demi-Glace:

2 cups dry red wine

2 cups beef stock

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 parsley stems

1 teaspoon peppercorns

For Red Wine Demi-Glace: Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat until reduced by two-thirds. Strain and cool.

For Steak Diane: Place clarified butter in medium, 10-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. Evenly coat the pan. When pan is hot, brown the tenderloin fillets on both sides and season lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper. Remove fillets from pan and set aside.

Add garlic, shallot and portobello mushrooms to the pan and lightly brown. Deglaze pan with the Red Wine Demi-Glace, scraping the brown bits from the pan until incorporated in the liquid. Return tenderloin fillets to pan and add the Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, heavy cream and chopped parsley. Reduce heat slightly.

Add brandy. If cooking over an open flame, slightly tilt the pan away from you and toward the flame to ignite the brandy. If cooking on an electric range, you can light the brandy with a match. Wait for the flame to go out and cook tenderloin fillets to desired doneness. For medium rare, internal temperature should be 130 to 135 degrees.

Remove fillets and swirl the cold butter in the pan sauce to finish the dish. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and serve immediately.

Per serving: 677 calories (67 percent from fat), 42 grams total fat (23 grams saturated), 178 milligrams cholesterol, 7 grams carbohydrates, 40 grams protein, 1,143 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.

Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Makes 2 servings

3 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and medium diced

2 tablespoons cold butter

2 roasted garlic cloves

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Heavy cream, as needed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a medium saucepan, boil potatoes in water to cover until tender, then strain. Place potatoes in bowl of a stand mixer; add butter and garlic. Using wire attachment, mix together until well-blended. Gradually add Parmesan cheese. Adjust consistency with cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Per serving: 241 calories (54 percent from fat), 15 grams total fat (9 grams saturated), 39 milligrams cholesterol, 22 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams protein, 310 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.

Sautéed Green Beans

Makes 2 servings

1 1/2 cups fresh green beans, blanched

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon butter

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add butter, and heat until it is melted and begins to bubble. Add blanched green beans and garlic, toss in pan until green beans are just tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Per serving: 86 calories (62 percent from fat), 6 grams total fat (4 grams saturated), 16 milligrams cholesterol, 6 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams protein, 130 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber.