http://www.answers.com/topic/steak-au-poivre steak au poiv·re (ō pwäv're) Steak Au Poivre Steak au poivre is a classic preparation for sauteed steak. Here Julia Child and Jacques Pépin update the steak by using a mixture of black, green, white and Jamaican peppercorns, which is really allspice. A saute of mushrooms and a full-bodied red wine are a fine match.—Julia Child and Jacques Pépin Ingredients 1 thick-cut well-marbled strip steak, about 1 pound total weight, and 1 1/2 inches thick 2 tablespoons mixed whole peppercorns, including black, white, green, Szechuan and Jamaican (whole allspice) Salt 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 1 tablespoon butter For the pan sauce 2 tablespoons minced shallots 2 tablespoons cognac (or bourbon or red wine) 1/2 cup flavorful dark stock 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature Garnish Chopped parsley Watercress Method 1. Trim the steak of all the surrounding fat and cartilage. Cut the meat into 2 pieces and crush the peppercorns using the bottom of a heavy skillet. 2. Sprinkle salt to taste on the top and bottom of the steaks; then press each side into the cracked peppercorns, encrusting the steaks lightly or heavily, as you prefer. 3. Heat the oil and the butter in a heavy saute or frying pan over high heat. When the pan is quite hot, lay the peppered steaks in. Fry for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until the undersides are well seared. Turn the meat and cook the second side for about a minute. Press with a finger to test for the slight springiness that indicates rare. Cook to desired doneness and remove to a warm platter. Making the pan sauce 1. Add the shallots to the pan and saute briefly, stirring with a spoon to scrape up the drippings. Lean away from the stove (averting your face) and pour the cognac into the pan; tilt the edge of the pan slightly, over the burner flame, to ignite the alcohol. The cognac will flame for a few seconds as the alcohol burns off; cook for a few moments more and then add the stock. Bring the liquid back to the boil, and cook about 1 minute to thicken the sauce, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning. Finally, add the soft butter, swirling the pan until it melts and incorporates with the juices. 2. When blended, pour the poivre sauce over the steaks. Sprinkle liberally with chopped parsley and garnish each plate with sprigs of parsley or watercress. Yield: 2 servings #---------------------------- Ingredients 4 steaks (rump or sirloin) 4 tbsp crushed peppercorns 3 tbsp olive oil 3 tbsp unsalted butter 3 chopped shallots 1 fl oz congnac 2 fl oz thick cream salt and pepper 1 tbsp pickled green peppers Directions: 1. Spread the peppercorns evenly on a plate and press the steaks firmly down on both sides. For extra flavour do this a hour or two before you are ready to cook. 2. Season the steaks with a little salt and pepper and thoroughly cover them in oil. 3. Heat the oil over a moderate to high heat and add a knob of butter. When the oil is hot, add the steaks and sear on both sides. Depending on the size, cooking for about three minutes will leave them medium rare. Don't turn the steaks too much, so as not to dislodge the peppercorns 4. When cooked, take the steaks out of the skillet. 5. Pour out the excess oil from the skillet and add a knob of butter. Sauté the shallots until soft and brown. 6. When the shallots are cooked add the cognac. Allow the butter/cognac mixture to reduce to about half and add the cream and green peppercorns. Cook over a high heat for about a minute, stirring well until reduced and season with salt. Serve: Place the steaks on serving plates and pour the sauce over the top. This is such a rich meal, that it is best served with something light such as a salad or steamed new potatoes and carrots. #---------------------------- Peppercorn Steak - simplified style What kind of steak? Any good quality cut of steak will work, for example top sirloin, ribeye, filet mignon, porterhouse, T-bone, or New York strip. (Avoid chuck, that's best left for pot roasts.) We used inch-thick steaks, but you could go as thin as half-inch to as thick as 2-inches. Ingredients 4 good-sized steaks (1/2 pound to a pound each, allow for 1/2 pound per person) Salt 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil, canola oil, or other high smoke-point oil 3 Tbsp black peppercorns, cracked 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots or onions 1/4 cup cognac or other brandy 1 cup beef broth or stock (for gluten-free version use gluten-free stock) 1/4 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley Method 1 Sprinkle salt generously over both sides of the steaks and let them come to room temperature, about 30 minutes. 2 Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. (Use a pan that can handle high heat. Cast iron works well for this, or anodized aluminum.) When the oil begins to smoke, take the pan off the heat. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels (steaks brown better if they are patted dry first) and place in the hot pan. Return the pan to the heat and turn the heat down to medium-high. Sear, without moving the steaks, for at least 4 minutes. Try to pick up a steak with tongs, and if it comes clean, flip it and turn the heat down to medium. If it sticks to the pan, let it cook for another minute or two on that side. 3. For this recipe, we sear on one side on high heat, and cook on lower heat on the other side. This way you get great flavor from the seared side, and better control over how done you want your steak by cooking the other side more slowly. 4. Use the finger test for doneness or a meat thermometer. For rare, remove the meat from the pan when the inside reaches 120°F, for medium rare 125-130°F. Once the steak is done to your liking remove the meat to a baking sheet and sprinkle on a generous portion of crushed black peppercorns on both sides of each steak. Tent with aluminum foil and let the steak rest while you are preparing the sauce. 5. Make the sauce. Add the shallots and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the brandy and as it boils, deglaze the pan by scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon (helps to have one with a straight edge) to dislodge all the browned bits. Once the brandy is almost cooked away, add the beef stock and turn the heat to high. Boil the sauce down until there's a noticeable trail when you drag a wooden spoon through the center of it (4-5 minutes). 6. Pour in the heavy cream and resume boiling. Again, boil down until you can make that telltale trail from the wooden spoon. Turn off the heat and add the parsley and any remaining black pepper (no more than 1 Tbsp, the rest should have already been used to pepper the steaks). Taste for salt and add if needed. Pour the sauce over the steaks right when you serve. Serves 4-6, depending on how big the steaks, and how hungry the eaters. #---------------------------- Ingredients 4 tenderloin steaks, 6 to 8 ounces each and no more than 1 1/2 inches thick Kosher salt 2 tablespoons whole peppercorns 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 teaspoon olive oil 1/3 cup Cognac, plus 1 teaspoon 1 cup heavy cream Directions Remove the steaks from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour prior to cooking. Sprinkle all sides with salt. Coarsely crush the peppercorns with a mortar and pestle, the bottom of a cast iron skillet, or using a mallet and pie pan. Spread the peppercorns evenly onto a plate. Press the fillets, on both sides, into the pepper until it coats the surface. Set aside. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil. As soon as the butter and oil begin to turn golden and smoke, gently place the steaks in the pan. For medium-rare, cook for 4 minutes on each side. Once done, remove the steaks to a plate, tent with foil and set aside. Pour off the excess fat but do not wipe or scrape the pan clean. Off of the heat, add 1/3 cup Cognac to the pan and carefully ignite the alcohol with a long match or firestick. Gently shake pan until the flames die. Return the pan to medium heat and add the cream. Bring the mixture to a boil and whisk until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Add the teaspoon of Cognac and season, to taste, with salt. Add the steaks back to the pan, spoon the sauce over, and serve. #---------------------------- Ingredients 4 (6 to 8-ounce) tenderloin steaks Kosher salt 2 tablespoons whole peppercorns, coarsely crushed 1 tablespoon butter 1/3 cup Cognac, plus 1 teaspoon - divided use 1 cup heavy cream 1. Allow steaks to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to preparation. 2. Salt both sides of steaks. 3. Press the crushed peppercorns evenly on both sides if steaks. Set aside. 4. Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat until it begins to brown, carefully place steaks in pan. Cook to desired doneness, about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Pour off the excess, leaving the browned bits in pan. 5. Without the heat source on, add 1/3 cup Cognac to the pan and carefully ignite the alcohol with a long match or firestick. Gently shake pan until the flames die. 6. Return the pan to medium heat and stir in the cream. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the teaspoon of Cognac. Season to taste with salt. 7. Return the steaks back to the pan, spoon the sauce over and serve. Makes 4 servings. #---------------------------- INGREDIENTS 4 8-ounce steaks 2 ounces olive oil 2 ounces freshly cracked peppercorns (crushed but not ground to powder!) 4 ounces sweet butter 1 ounce good Cognac 4 ounces strong, dark veal stock (something to keep in your freezer) Salt and pepper DIRECTIONS FOR STEAK 1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Moisten the meat very slightly with oil, then dredge each of the steaks in the crushed peppercorns to thoroughly coat. Don't be shy with the pepper. 2. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet over high heat. Once the oil is hot, add 2 ounces, which is half of the butter. Place the steaks in the pan and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. 3. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook until desired doneness, about 5 to 7 minutes for rare, 10 minutes for medium rare, and so on. Remove from the oven and remove the steaks from the pan to rest. Have I told you yet to always rest your meat after cooking? I've told you now. DIRECTIONS FOR SAUCE 1. Return the skillet to the stovetop and carefully stir in the Cognac. As much fun as it is to create a column of flame as you add flammable material to an incredibly hot pan, it's not really desirable or necessary — especially in a home kitchen. Unless you're a pyromaniac, I recommend carefully adding the Cognac to the still-hot pan off the flame, stirring and scraping with the wooden spoon to get every scrap, every peppercorn, every rumor of flavor clinging to the bottom of the pan. 2. Now place the pan on the flame again and cook it down a bit, by about half. Stir in the veal stock and reduce over medium heat until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Whisk in the remaining butter and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with French fries or sautéed potatoes. Note on searing: With any recipe that calls for searing meat and then using the pan to make a sauce, be careful to avoid blackening the pan; your sauce will taste burnt. Avoid by adjusting the heat to, say, medium high, so it will still sear the meat but not scorch the pan juices. But stoves and pans vary, so pay attention. SERVINGS 4