Tales from the Kitchen: Steak Au Poivre

Two months ago, I cooked a dinner for a Vestry meeting and I was asked to provide the recipes for a couple of the dishes I served. In my last article, I wrote about parmesan potatoes. So this time, I’d like to share with you the recipe for the black pepper sauce I made to go over the meat. The best cuts to use with this sauce are either New York steak or filet mignon. The origin of the “steak au poivre” (or black pepper steak) is shrouded in mystery. But there are several theories about how the dish came to be. It may have originated in the 19th century in a Normandy bistro as a late night treat for dinner with friends. Some believe the peppercorn crust may have been an aphrodisiac. While others think the rich cream sauce and strong pepper flavor can help with over indulgence

Ingredients (for 4 people)

• 4 beef tenderloin steaks, 6 oz.

  each. Cut 1 inch thick

• 1 soup spoon of crushed black

  pepper

• Salt to your taste

• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter

• 2 large shallots, finely diced

• 1 1/2 cups of rich beef broth

• 1 tablespoon of cognac

• 1/2 cup of heavy cream

Preparation:
1) Put steak in a shallow dish and season well on both sides with salt. Sprinkle black pepper evenly over the steaks. Press pepper into both sides with your hands and leave the meat for 10 minutes.

2) Put a large cast iron over high heat. When surface is nearly smoking, swirl one teaspoon of butter in the pan and add the steak. Adjust the heat as necessary to keep the steak sizzling briskly.

3) Cook the steak for 2 minutes on the first side. The seared side should be nicely browned. Flip and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer the steak to a warm platter.

4) (Make the sauce): Add a teaspoon of butter to the pan. Add shallots and saute for a minute or so until they begin to brown. Add beef broth and bring to a brisk simmer. Add cognac and continue to simmer until reduced by half (about 3 or 4 minutes). Stir In cream and cook until sauce is lightly thickened.

5) Return steak to pan to warm. Spoon sauce over them and turn once.

Bon Appetit!
Alain Guichard