Steak Au Poivre
serves 2-4
This is one of those classic dishes for which no two recipes are the same. The flavorful strip streaks and their juices mingle so well with the coarse spicy pepper and the creamy, tart sauce. Right at the end, add a handful of chopped parsley to the sauce to give it bright herbal flavor.
2 tablespoons black peppercorns, cracked
2 strip steaks
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons heavy cream
prep: 10 minutes
total: 40 minutes
small roasting pan
ziploc bag
large sauté pan
tongs
digital instant-read meat thermometer
1. Preheat the oven to 350F and place a small roasting pan in the oven to warm.
2. Put the peppercorns in a ziplock bag and crack them with a meat pounder or the bottom of a pan. They should be coarsely ground with some large chunks.
3. Lightly sprinkle both sides of the steaks with salt. Coat both sides of the steak with the cracked peppercorns, pressing them into the meat's flesh.
4. Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the oil and butter are almost smoking, add the steaks. Leave them alone to sear on the first side, 2-4 minutes. Turn them and brown on the second side, 2-4 minutes. Put the steaks in the preheated roasting pan and into the oven. Cook until they reach an internal temperature of 125F for rare. When the steaks are done, remove them to a plate and let them rest, loosely covered with foil, 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in the same pan you used for the steaks, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. When the foam subsides, stir in the shallot and season with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook until the shallots are soft, 3-5 minutes.
6. Stir in the Champagne vinegar and broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate the brown bits, and simmer until it reduces by half. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the cream. Simmer until the sauce thickens, a few minutes, then spoon the sauce over the steaks.
2. Put the peppercorns in a ziplock bag and crack them with a meat pounder or the bottom of a pan. They should be coarsely ground with some large chunks.
3. Lightly sprinkle both sides of the steaks with salt. Coat both sides of the steak with the cracked peppercorns, pressing them into the meat's flesh.
4. Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the oil and butter are almost smoking, add the steaks. Leave them alone to sear on the first side, 2-4 minutes. Turn them and brown on the second side, 2-4 minutes. Put the steaks in the preheated roasting pan and into the oven. Cook until they reach an internal temperature of 125F for rare. When the steaks are done, remove them to a plate and let them rest, loosely covered with foil, 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in the same pan you used for the steaks, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. When the foam subsides, stir in the shallot and season with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook until the shallots are soft, 3-5 minutes.
6. Stir in the Champagne vinegar and broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate the brown bits, and simmer until it reduces by half. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the cream. Simmer until the sauce thickens, a few minutes, then spoon the sauce over the steaks.
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