Steak au Poivre

One thing about the cakes, they racked up the posts.  At one point this summer I had close to a month written in advance.  Then I had five days of indigestion this week and barely ate anything.  For some reason, greasy fast food settles my stomach, while a platter of garden-fresh veggies ticks it off.  Finally, I'm cooking again.

The first thing to pop up in my steak au poivre (peppercorn steak) search was Alton Brown's recipe.  Simple, few ingredients, and all stuff I had.  I did use top sirloin instead of tenderloin.  Close enough for a weekday dinner.  You do get to set alcohol on fire.  I happened to have the cognac from AB's recipe, but any of the lighter fortified wines will do.

Unlike most of the classic French recipes I make, this one is super easy and only takes fifteen minutes once you actually get started.  I got the vegetables chopped and cooking while the steak was resting at room temperature, and had it ready when it was time to pull them from the oven.

The reason there's only one steak in all these photos is because I bought one 12 oz and cut it into three Smurf-sized portions (4 oz each), using a half recipe for the other ingredients.  I do serve larger portions when there's company.

4 6-to-8 oz tenderloin steaks
kosher salt
*2 Tb whole peppercorns
1 Tb unsalted butter
1 tsp oil
*1/3 C plus 1 tsp cognac
*1 C heavy cream

1.  For the most time-consuming step, let the steaks sit until room temperature, 30 to 60 minutes.  Sprinkle both sides with salt.

2.  Crush the peppercorns.  I used my mortar and pestle.  You can get creative with an old pie tin and a can of vegetables.  The point is to crack them before you crack a tooth.  Spread them on a plate or pie tin and press into both sides.

3.  Over medium heat, melt the butter and oil to coat the bottom of a large skillet.  The fat doesn't have to be deep.  It's there to help caramelize the meat.  When it starts to smoke a bit, add the steaks.  Sear for about 4 minutes for medium-rare.  Turn and sear the other side for another 4 minutes.  Remove meat to a platter and keep warm.

4.  Pour off any excess fat, but don't clean the pan.  Deglaze with the 1/3 C of cognac and quickly light it up with a long match or stick lighter to burn off the alcohol.  It took me a while to get the clicker to work, and I never got to see flames.  Add the cream, stir frequently, and boil until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.  Taste, then add salt as needed and the remaining teaspoon of cognac if you want a hint of alcohol.

5.  Place steaks back in pan and turn over in the sauce.  Serve, with additional sauce on top.

Difficulty rating  π