Steak Au Poivre

I am a carnivore to the 100th degree. I love love love steak in particular. Steak Au Poivre, traditionally is a fillet mignon, seasoned with crushed peppercorns and served with a sauce made from cognac and cream. I make mine using Ny Strip steaks because they cook up quicker then the thicker fillet mignon. Do yourself and favor and make sure you buy a good cognac because it will make a huge difference. Also be very careful when adding the cognac to your pan. It has a decent alcohol content and will flame up very quickly. Always remember to take the pan off the heat before adding in alcohol, especially when you cook with gas. You run the risk of having the bottle explode in your hands.

What You Need:

2 -4 steaks (Ny strip is a great choice, fillet mingon is classic)

2 tbs peppercorns

1 tbs butter

1 tsp olive oil

1/3 c cognac

1 c cream

Salt and pepper

What To Do:

Crush the peppercorns with a mortar and pestle or use a heavy bottom skillet to crush. You want a nice coarse crush to the peppercorns. Season the steak with salt and the crushed peppercorns and set aside.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat with the butter and olive oil. Sear the steaks for a 2-5 minutes per side depending on the thickness of your steaks and the done-ness you desire. Remove the seared steaks from the pan and set aside to rest.

Remove the pan from the heat, especially if you cook with gas. Add the cognac and set a flame. Be very very careful when lighting the cognac as it will flame up really quickly. Once the flames die, add in the cream, bring to a boil and whisk until thickened. About five to six minutes. Serve over the steaks.