Steak au Poivre
Even though it's grilling season, I just don't love grilling. So I made Steak au Poivre this week with our BOGO steaks from the local market. It is a pan-fried steak with a delectable cream sauce. I've made it before and I'll make it again, grilling season or not. You just can't go wrong with steak, pepper, cream, and booze. If you don't want to buy or can't find shallots, just use onions. That's what I did this time and although I prefer the more delicate onion flavor of the shallot with this, regular onions taste plenty good too. I've always used regular brandy, and fairly cheap regular brandy at that, because I can't justify the cost of Cognac. The Barefoot Contessa's recipe, which I've also made, calls for canned beef broth rather than cream and it calls for filet mingnon rather than strip steak. It is good, but I prefer the cream. Surprise. Here's her recipe in case you want to compare and contrast:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/filet-of-beef-au-poivre-recipe/index.html
I usually serve with mashed potatoes (usually Simply Potatoes because they taste good and you just heat and eat) and sauted green beans or asparagus. This time I served with mashed sweet potatoes and corn on the cob. I found a bag of chopped sweet potatoes in the freezer section at Cub this week. You microwave, then, mash and add milk, brown sugar and butter to taste. Yumma!
This recipe is what I adapted for two, but the original was for four. It's from Gourmet and has been around since the 1950s.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Steak-au-Poivre-233549#ixzz0udR6tqFF
2 boneless strip (or any kind, really) steaks (8 to 10 oz each)
2 t kosher salt
1 T whole peppercorns
2 t vegetable oil
3 T finely chopped shallots
2 T butter
1/4 c Cognac or other brandy
6 T heavy cream
Preheat oven to 200°F.
Pat steaks dry with a paper towel or napkin and season both sides with kosher salt.
Coarsely crush peppercorns in a sealed plastic bag with a meat pounder or bottom of a heavy skillet, then press pepper evenly onto both sides of steaks. Alternatively, I have just used the pepper grinder and ground the pepper right over the steaks, heavily. It is a better effect and taste with the coarser grind you get from crushing the peppercorns rather than grinding them, but depending on the day, maybe the effort is worth it to you and maybe it's not.
Heat a large heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot, about 3 minutes, then add oil, swirling skillet, and sauté steaks, turning over once, about 9 minutes for medium.
Transfer steaks as cooked to a heatproof platter and keep warm in oven while making sauce.
Pour off the fat from skillet, then add shallots and half of butter (1 tablespoon) to skillet and cook over moderately low heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until shallots are well-browned all over, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add brandy (careful, it may flame but it will go out quickly) and boil, stirring, until liquid is reduced to a glaze, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cream and any meat juices accumulated on platter and boil sauce, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes. Add remaining tablespoon of butter and cook over low heat, swirling skillet, until butter is incorporated. Serve sauce with steaks.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/filet-of-beef-au-poivre-recipe/index.html
I usually serve with mashed potatoes (usually Simply Potatoes because they taste good and you just heat and eat) and sauted green beans or asparagus. This time I served with mashed sweet potatoes and corn on the cob. I found a bag of chopped sweet potatoes in the freezer section at Cub this week. You microwave, then, mash and add milk, brown sugar and butter to taste. Yumma!
This recipe is what I adapted for two, but the original was for four. It's from Gourmet and has been around since the 1950s.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Steak-au-Poivre-233549#ixzz0udR6tqFF
2 boneless strip (or any kind, really) steaks (8 to 10 oz each)
2 t kosher salt
1 T whole peppercorns
2 t vegetable oil
3 T finely chopped shallots
2 T butter
1/4 c Cognac or other brandy
6 T heavy cream
Preheat oven to 200°F.
Pat steaks dry with a paper towel or napkin and season both sides with kosher salt.
Coarsely crush peppercorns in a sealed plastic bag with a meat pounder or bottom of a heavy skillet, then press pepper evenly onto both sides of steaks. Alternatively, I have just used the pepper grinder and ground the pepper right over the steaks, heavily. It is a better effect and taste with the coarser grind you get from crushing the peppercorns rather than grinding them, but depending on the day, maybe the effort is worth it to you and maybe it's not.
Heat a large heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot, about 3 minutes, then add oil, swirling skillet, and sauté steaks, turning over once, about 9 minutes for medium.
Transfer steaks as cooked to a heatproof platter and keep warm in oven while making sauce.
Pour off the fat from skillet, then add shallots and half of butter (1 tablespoon) to skillet and cook over moderately low heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until shallots are well-browned all over, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add brandy (careful, it may flame but it will go out quickly) and boil, stirring, until liquid is reduced to a glaze, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cream and any meat juices accumulated on platter and boil sauce, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes. Add remaining tablespoon of butter and cook over low heat, swirling skillet, until butter is incorporated. Serve sauce with steaks.
I'm making this tonight! Thought of you :)
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