New York Steak Au Poivre With Balsamic Reduction Recipes

Steps:

• Coarsely grind peppercorns with a mortar and pestle. Pat steaks dry and coat both sides with peppercorns, pressing to adhere. Season with salt.
• Heat oil with 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Reduce heat to moderate and cook steaks, 2 at a time, about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare.
• Transfer steaks to a platter. Add vinegar to skillet and deglaze by boiling over high heat, scraping up brown bits. Simmer vinegar until reduced to about 1/4 cup. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining tablespoon butter until melted. Season sauce with salt and drizzle over steaks.

Steps:

• Pat dry the steaks and press the pepper evenly all around the steak. Season generously with salt and press it down with the pepper on the steak. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 12' heavy skillet over medium to high heat until hot but not smoking. Cook the steak to desire doneness, turning once. Transfer steaks to a plate. Pour off all fat from skillet and add the vinegar to the skillet to deglaze by boiling and scraping up any brown bits. Reduce to about ¼ cup. Remove from the heat and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter until melted. Lightly season the sauce with salt and drizzle over the steaks

Steps:

• There are few faster, easier and more impressive ways to get dinner on the table than to sauté a juicy steak over a hot flame, then whisking together a sauce from the coppery drippings at the bottom of the pan. Although the technique for making pan sauce is used here with beef, it is easily adaptable to all sorts of meats, including pork, lamb, chicken, veal and even fish.A proper pan sauce begins with browning the meat. The pan needs to be hot enough to sear the meat and cause the Maillard reaction, which is the caramelizing of the amino acids and sugars in food. After the meat is cooked to taste, it is removed from the pan, leaving behind a seared-on layer of browned bits called the fond. The fond is culinary gold, containing an incredible savory character that forms the foundation of the sauce. To access that meaty flavor, the fond needs to be dissolved into a liquid; this is called deglazing the pan. Technically, any liquid can be used, and water and stock frequently are. But something alcoholic and acidic, such as wine, is better at extracting the flavors. A classic method of building a pan sauce, which we use here, is to develop the flavors in stages. First, brandy is used to deglaze the pan, then wine and stock are added and simmered down until syrupy. At the very end, butter is whisked into the pan to thicken the sauce, giving it a silky texture that helps it cling to the steak for serving. Other liquids can stand in for the brandy, wine and stock: fruit and vegetable juices, cream or milk, condiments like soy sauce and chile paste, vinegars and spirits. Once you've learned this adaptable technique, you will always be able to whisk up a fast and pungent pan sauce from whatever fond your pan has produced.
• Since the earliest bovines met the spears of our ancestors, steaks have been prepared pretty much the same way. The cuts were grilled over a fire to quickly sear what many consider to be the choicest, most tender part of the animal. (By contrast, think of the stewing, braising and roasting necessary for larger and tougher cuts.)Innovations in pans and the creation of the modern stove have changed things slightly, but the goal is the same, which is to brown the outside of the meat while preserving the juiciness of the middle. This can be done on green wooden sticks or hot rocks, over a grill, or in a metal or earthenware pan.But the sauce accompanying this steak has had a more varied history. And it's one that exemplifies the evolution of French cuisine over the centuries.The earliest European sauces, which date to ancient times, were distinct from the meat, fish or vegetables with which they were served, prepared separately and from their own set of ingredients. The reasons were medicinal, rather than for the sake of taste. Based on the theory of humorism, a sauce was meant to balance out the intrinsic qualities of other ingredients in the dish to create a harmonious and health-giving meal. Pork, which was considered to be inherently moist and cold, might be paired with spicy, acidic sauces, to counter any potential upset of humors in the person eating it. By the 17th century, a new French cuisine had begun to emerge. The focus shifted to enhancing the natural taste of foods rather than smothering them in spices and vinegars for purported health benefits. The ancestors of modern French sauces can be found in cookbooks from that era, in which herbs replaced spices, wine and stock eased the reliance on vinegar and verjus, and flour and butter roux, rather than bread crumbs, were used as thickeners. The practice of deglazing a pan of roasted meats to make the base for an elaborate sauce grew in popularity.Over time sauces became richer and more voluptuous, beaten with butter, eggs and flour to achieve a thick and satiny consistency. In the 1830s, Marie-Antoine Carême first wrote about four mother sauces: espagnole (a demi-glace-based brown sauce), velouté (a stock-based sauce thickened with roux), béchamel (a creamy milk-based sauce) and allemande (a velouté thickened with eggs and cream). Auguste Escoffier would later refine Carême's classification, demoting allemande to a subset of velouté and adding tomato sauce and hollandaise to the list.These mother sauces remained central in French kitchens until the birth of the nouvelle cuisine movement of the 1960s. As the country's top chefs worked to simplify the national cuisine, they moved away from heavy sauces. (One of the 10 commandments for the movement, laid out in a 1973 article by the pioneering restaurant critics Henri Gault and Christian Millau, "Vive la Nouvelle Cuisine Francaise": "You will eliminate rich sauces.") Rather than relying on roux as thickeners, French chefs turned to the lighter touch of lemon juice, butter and herbs.That approach lives on. Instead of deglazing a pan to use the resulting liquid in an intricate sauce, cooks now savor the mixture as a simple yet elegant sauce in its own right.Above, a depiction of a Paris provision shop in 1871, from The Illustrated London News.
• Stainless steel pan These are best for cooking pan sauces with a good dose of acidity; enamel-lined pans also work well. Carbon steel and cast iron pans are reactive and could discolor the sauce, though this isn't a deal breaker, so if that is all you've got, use it. But do avoid nonstick pans. Your drippings, upon which the sauce is built, won't brown nearly as well.Meat thermometer It is worthwhile to learn how to test your steak for doneness with your fingers, but it also helps to have a good meat thermometer. Digital thermometers will give you a more exact reading, and they usually work very quickly.Wirecutter, a product recommendations website owned by The New York Times Company, has guides to the best skillets and digital meat thermometers.
• You can use any cut of steak, either bone-in or boneless, to make this classic French bistro dish. Make sure to open a good bottle of red wine for the pan sauce, preferably one that you're happy to finish off with dinner.
• There's more to searing a steak than a hot pan and a good piece of meat, though that is the right place to start. And learning how to use the drippings for a fast pan sauce will help you make the most out of every meal, whether you're cooking steaks, chops, fish or chicken.The French butcher the cow differently from the English and Americans. They divide tough and tender meats, creating high-quality cuts like fillets from the sirloin region (chateaubriand being the thickest, then tournedos, faux filet and the thinnest, filet mignon) and entrecôte from the fore rib region. One of the most desired French cuts is the onglet (hanger steak), cut just below the sirloin region. This said, you can use any good steak in this recipe, either a boneless or bone-in cut. Boneless cuts take less time to cook, so start checking them for doneness before you'd check bone-in meat. Filet mignon, cut from the tenderloin, will give you the softest and most tender meat, but has less fat (and less flavor) than other cuts. Rib-eye and other sirloin cuts are a little chewier, but have a deeper, beefier flavor. You could also use a thinner steak (hanger, strip, flank), but watch them closely so they don't overcook.• You need some fat on your steak. Look for marbling. Fat equals flavor, both for the meat itself and also for the pan sauce.• Seasoning the steak at least 15 minutes before cooking (and up to 24 hours if you keep it in the refrigerator) gives the meat time to absorb the salt evenly. If you season it several hours in advance, you can press herbs and-or minced garlic all over the surface of the steak, then wipe it off just before cooking so nothing burns.• Cooking steak in butter gives the meat excellent flavor. But since butter can burn, it is often combined with a little grapeseed oil, which raises its smoking point. Or you can use all oil if you prefer. Clarified butter and ghee also work well.• For optimal browning, which results in a flavorful pan sauce, get your skillet very hot before adding the meat, letting it heat for at least 3 to 5 minutes. A drop of water should immediately sizzle when flicked into the pan.• The timing of your steak depends on the skillet, your stove and the temperature of the meat when it hits the pan. For rare steak, cook to 120 degrees; medium-rare is 130 degrees. Learn how meat cooked to those temperatures feels when you tap its surface with your fingers, and then use that to guide you in future cooking. For medium-rare, the meat should offer some resistance but not feel firm, which indicates a well-done steak. Rare meat is a bit softer.• Rest your steaks before slicing them. Put the meat on a cutting board and tent with foil. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. This helps the meat reabsorb the juices and will also raise the temperature slightly. Do this every time you cook steak; it's always a good idea to keep those juices.• You must cook the steaks and the sauce in immediate succession, and just before serving. Once you start this recipe, there isn't much waiting around. If you're making this for a dinner party, do not start cooking the steaks until all your guests arrive.• The alcohol in wine and brandy helps dissolve and release the pan drippings, extracting their flavor. While you can also deglaze a pan with stock or water, it won't be as intensely flavorful. Much of the alcohol cooks off as the sauce simmers.• To quickly cook off much of the alcohol in the brandy, light it with a long match or igniter. Just make sure to step back before you do. The flame should die down in a few seconds. If you really don't want to set the alcohol on fire, you can simmer it down for a few minutes instead.• Letting the liquids in your pan simmer until they are thick and syrupy is central to getting a silky sauce. Be sure to let them reduce before whisking in the butter and any herbs.• If at any point your sauce separates and you can't seem to whisk it together into a smooth, emulsified liquid, scrape it into a blender and whirl it for a few seconds. That should fix it.
• A pan sauce is easy to make, but it does require last-minute attention. Here are three sauces than can be prepared ahead of time and go deliciously with the seared steak above. Like hollandaise sauce, one of the mother sauces of French cuisine, Béarnaise is based on an emulsion of butter and egg yolks. It is seasoned with vinegar, tarragon and shallots for a savory edge. To make it: Melt 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter; set aside. In a heavy-bottomed, nonreactive skillet, combine 3 tablespoons white-wine vinegar, 1/4 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth, 1 tablespoon minced shallots, 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon or chives, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper and a pinch of salt. Simmer until the liquid has reduced to 2 tablespoons. Let cool. In the meantime, beat 3 egg yolks until they're thick and sticky, about 1 minute. Strain the vinegar mixture into the egg yolks, and beat until combined. Add 1 tablespoon of cold butter, but do not beat it in.Scrape egg mixture back into skillet, and place it over very low heat. Stir egg yolks with a wire whisk until they slowly thicken, about 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in another tablespoon of cold butter, then beat in melted butter in a slow, steady stream until sauce thickens; consistency should be like mayonnaise. (You may not need all the butter.) Taste and correct seasoning, and beat in 2 tablespoons fresh, minced parsley. Serve the sauce warm, not hot. It will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. Easily made in less than five minutes, this piquant, creamy sauce can be stirred together a few days in advance and gets even better as it sits (which it can do for up to 3 days). To make it: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup crème fraîche, 2 tablespoons white horseradish, 1 tablespoon minced chives, 1 teaspoon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. A decadently rich combination of butter, garlic and herbs, a small slice of compound butter goes a long way on a steak. And leftovers freeze perfectly for up to six months. To make it: In a bowl, mash together 1 stick softened unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon minced shallots or 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or rosemary, 1 tablespoon minced parsley or chives, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt. Spoon the butter onto a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap, form into a log and wrap well. Chill for at least 3 hours before using.
• Photography Food styling: Alison Attenborough. Prop styling: Beverley Hyde. Additional photography: Karsten Moran for The New York Times. Additional styling: Jade Zimmerman.VideoFood styling: Chris Barsch and Jade Zimmerman. Art direction: Alex Brannian. Prop styling: Catherine Pearson. Director of photography: James Herron. Camera operators: Tim Wu and Zack Sainz. Editing: Will Lloyd and Adam Saewitz. Additional editing: Meg Felling.
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Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Crush peppercorns and coriander with a mortar and pestle, or with the bottom of a heavy skillet. Spread onto a large dish or a baking sheet.
• Season steaks with salt, and coat both sides with ground peppercorn mixture by patting into flesh. Heat oil in an ovenproof skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium-high heat. Sear steaks until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer skillet to oven, and cook steaks about 6 minutes, for medium-rare.
• Remove steaks from skillet, and let rest for 10 minutes, reserving juices. Meanwhile, wipe out skillet. Add vinegar, and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Swirl in reserved steak juices, and the butter. Slice steaks, and serve with sauce.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 150 degrees. Have an oven-proof platter that can hold the fish in a single layer ready. Dust the swordfish lightly with salt. Sprinkle the pepper on both sides, pressing the grains into the fish.
• Heat the oil to medium hot in a heavy skillet, about 12-inches in diameter, to hold the fish in a single layer. Sear the fish, pepper and all, until barely cooked through and still a bit pink in the center, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to the platter and place in the oven. Turn off the oven.
• Add the butter to the skillet. When it melts add the shallot and sauté, stirring, until translucent, a couple of minutes. Add the Cognac and swirl in the pan a minute or so until somewhat reduced and syrupy. Add the cream and parsley and continue cooking, stirring, until somewhat thickened. Remove from the heat.
• Remove the fish from the oven and pour the sauce over it, then serve, or transfer each portion to individual dinner plates, spoon on the sauce and serve.

Steps:

• Brush the mushrooms all over with olive oil. Sprinkle the pepper evenly over the gill sides (about 1/2 teaspoon per mushroom). Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high, then add the mushrooms gill side up and sear until the underside is browned and the gill side looks wet, 3 to 6 minutes. Flip and cook until golden and the pepper is fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Flip the mushrooms so they're gill side up, then add the butter and garlic, and season with salt. While stirring the garlic to keep it from scorching, tilt the skillet to spoon up the melting butter and baste the mushrooms until tender, 2 to 5 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate, leaving the butter in the skillet.
• Add the shallot and stir until softened, 2 to 4 minutes, adding a little more butter if the pan is dry. Stand back, and carefully add the Cognac. (It might flame.) Stir until the Cognac has nearly evaporated. Add the heavy cream and mustard, season with salt, and stir to combine. Return the mushrooms to the pan gill side down, and cook until the cream is thickened and the color of a latte, 2 to 4 minutes. Eat the mushrooms with a drizzle of the sauce.

Steps:

• Coarsely grind peppercorns with a mortar and pestle.
• Pat steaks dry and coat both sides with peppercorns, pressing to adhere.
• Season with salt.
• Heat oil with 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over.
• moderately high heat until hot but not smoking.
• Reduce heat to moderate and cook steaks, 2 at a time, about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare.
• Transfer steaks to a platter.
• Add vinegar to skillet and deglaze by boiling over high heat, scraping up brown bits.
• Simmer vinegar until reduced to about 1/4 cup.
• Remove from heat and whisk in remaining tablespoon butter until melted.
• Season sauce with salt and drizzle over steaks.

Steps:

• Put steaks in a shallow dish and season well on both sides with salt. Sprinkle black pepper and Sichuan pepper evenly over steaks. Press pepper into both sides with hands and leave for 10 minutes.
• Put a large cast iron skillet over high heat. When surface is nearly smoking, swirl 1 tablespoon butter in the pan and add steaks. Adjust heat as necessary to keep steaks sizzling briskly.
• Cook for 2 minutes on first side; seared side should be nicely browned. Flip and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer steaks to a warm platter.
• Make the sauce: Add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan. Add shallots and sauté for a minute or so, stirring, until they begin to brown. Add broth and bring to a brisk simmer. Add Cognac and continue to simmer until reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in crème fraîche and cook until sauce is lightly thickened.
• Return steaks to pan to warm, spooning sauce over them and turning once. Arrange steaks on platter or individual plates and top with more sauce. Garnish with bouquets of watercress and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Let steak sit at room temperature 30 minutes. Place peppercorns in a plastic bag and lightly crush with a rolling pin or meat mallet. Lightly brush steak with oil and season generously with kosher salt. Coat both sides with peppercorns, pressing to adhere. Let stand 15 minutes.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high until very hot, 3 to 4 minutes. Swirl in oil. Add steak and cook, flipping once, until a thermometer reads 130°F (for medium-rare), 10 to 12 minutes total. Sear fat cap to finish, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate; tent with foil. Let rest 15 minutes before slicing so the juices redistribute. Remove skillet from heat and let cool slightly.
• While steak is resting, wipe skillet clean. Add butter and shallot to skillet and cook over medium, stirring often, until shallot softens, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully add cognac and cook, scraping browned bits from pan, until almost evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add Worcestershire, broth and any accumulated steak juices from plate. Reduce sauce to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Stir in cream and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute more. Drizzle over sliced steak and serve with greens.