Steak au Poivre
This is an easy, quick and delicious, classic French dish, slightly adapted from Once Upon a Chef. Good steak doesn't need much - only salt and pepper to season it. Surprisingly easy, you'll have a steak that's like cutting into soft butter. The rich sauce blended from Cognac and cream makes it even better.
Servings: 2
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Ingredients
2 6- to 8-ounce filet mignons or steak of your choice
1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
1 tablespoon or more olive or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots, from 2 medium shallots
1/4 cup Cognac or other brandy
3/8 cup heavy cream (33% or whipping cream)
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Method
Pat the steaks dry and, if they are thick, gently press them down so that they are about 1-1/2 inches thick. Season the steaks all over with the salt.
Either grind coarse pepper onto the steak and press evenly onto both sides of the steak, or seal t peppercorns inside a small plastic bag and place on a cutting board. Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a frying pan, pound the peppercorns until they are coarsely crushed. Press the crushed pepper evenly onto both sides of the steaks.
In a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the steaks and cook about 4 minutes on each side, turning only once, for medium-rare (or about 5 minutes per side for medium). Transfer the steaks to a plate and tent with foil.
Pour off the excess fat from the pan but do not wipe clean. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the butter and shallots. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and scraping up the brown bits, until the shallots are golden brown and softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
Carefully add the Cognac or brandy (it may ignite) and boil, again stirring to scrape up the brown bits, until the liquid is reduced to a glaze and mostly absorbed by the shallots, a few minutes.
Add the cream and mustard and gently boil until thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in any meat juices that accumulated on the plate.
Transfer the steaks to plates and spoon the sauce over top.
This is an easy, quick and delicious, classic French dish, slightly adapted from Once Upon a Chef. Good steak doesn't need much - only salt and pepper to season it. Surprisingly easy, you'll have a steak that's like cutting into soft butter. The rich sauce blended from Cognac and cream makes it even better.
Servings: 2
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Ingredients
2 6- to 8-ounce filet mignons or steak of your choice
1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
1 tablespoon or more olive or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots, from 2 medium shallots
1/4 cup Cognac or other brandy
3/8 cup heavy cream (33% or whipping cream)
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Method
Pat the steaks dry and, if they are thick, gently press them down so that they are about 1-1/2 inches thick. Season the steaks all over with the salt.
Either grind coarse pepper onto the steak and press evenly onto both sides of the steak, or seal t peppercorns inside a small plastic bag and place on a cutting board. Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a frying pan, pound the peppercorns until they are coarsely crushed. Press the crushed pepper evenly onto both sides of the steaks.
In a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the steaks and cook about 4 minutes on each side, turning only once, for medium-rare (or about 5 minutes per side for medium). Transfer the steaks to a plate and tent with foil.
Pour off the excess fat from the pan but do not wipe clean. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the butter and shallots. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and scraping up the brown bits, until the shallots are golden brown and softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
Carefully add the Cognac or brandy (it may ignite) and boil, again stirring to scrape up the brown bits, until the liquid is reduced to a glaze and mostly absorbed by the shallots, a few minutes.
Add the cream and mustard and gently boil until thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in any meat juices that accumulated on the plate.
Transfer the steaks to plates and spoon the sauce over top.