the thin chef

Valentine’s Day isn’t really a big thing for us. Jason is usually much better than I am at the whole day, with pretty flowers and lovely chocolates to surprise me. This year, though, after the big move and outfitting our new digs with couches, tables, rugs, and the like, we decided that we’d give each other just the gift of an evening together. Of course in the house, that means an evening spent eating.

On the second day of our honeymoon in Paris last may, Jason tasted green peppercorn sauce (the one that came alongside his steak frites) for the first time. What ensued can only be described as true infatuation—I think he ordered this nearly every day we were there, and talked about it for weeks thereafter. But he had a point. The light but creamy sauce—speckled with mild green peppercorns and slightly sweet from the addition of brandy—is truly divine. No matter what. You could dip shoe leather in it and the leather would be edible. Delicious, even.

When we returned, I promised Jason I’d try my hand at making the sauce. We had some friends over for a bistro meal...but it wasn’t quite the same. Tonight, for our evening together, Jason suggested steaks with green peppercorn sauce. How could I say no to my Valentine? We couldn’t find brine-packed peppercorns, which are traditional, but that’s OK. The sauce was really, truly, spot on. As in almost as good as the ones we had in France. (Not to give myself too much credit…it’s a simple sauce…)

With roasted potatoes that were also among the best I think we’ve had in a very long time, (that post is to come) and, of course, the yummy, perfectly seared steaks, this was an absolutely fabulous evening in.

Honeymoon in Paris Steaks au Poivre
Serves 2

2 steaks of your choice (we like ribeyes, NY strips, or top sirloin)
Coarse salt and coarsely ground black pepper
Olive oil
2 tablespoons green peppercorns packed in brine (preferred) OR dried green peppercorns (still OK)
1/2 to 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup beef stock or broth
Scant 1/4 cup brandy

Sprinkle steaks generously with salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature for about 30 to 40 minutes. If your steaks are very thick (2 1/2″ or more), preheat oven to 400º.

Crush peppercorns in a mortar and pestle or in a zip-top baggie with a rolling pin. Add the crushed peppercorns to 1/2 cup cream in a small bowl. Stir, and set aside.

Heat a large skillet over almost-high heat (an 8 out of 10). Add just enough oil to barely coat the skillet. If the oil smokes, it’s ready. If it doesn’t, give it another few seconds until it does. Open the windows in your kitchen and turn on any vent fans and ceiling fans. Pat top side of steaks dry with a paper towel, and carefully place dry side in skillet. Pat other side dry.

Cook steaks about 4 to 6 minutes per side, or until nicely browned and medium-rare, or your preferred doneness. (Here’s a good guide for knowing the doneness of your steak.) If your steaks are very thick, this is when you transfer them to the preheated oven for about 7 or 8 minutes more.

When the steaks come out of the skillet, reduce heat to medium-high (about a 6 out of 10) and immediately add stock to the skillet. Use tongs to scrape bits from the bottom. Add the cream and peppercorns, and stir. Add brandy. Simmer sauce until reduced and slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. Add additional cream, if you’d like, until the consistency and flavor are just right. There should be enough salt from the steaks left in the pan, but taste, and add salt, if needed.

Serve sauce either in a ramekin alongside steaks or spooned over top. Bon appetit!

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This entry was posted on Sunday, February 14th, 2010 at 8:34 pm and is filed under basic techniques, beef, comfort food. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.