Steak Au Poivre For 2 Recipes

Steps:

• 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.

Steps:

• 1. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator 20 minutes in advance. Prepare a cooling rack (or small overturned plate - over a large plate).
• 2. Cover the steaks on both sides with crushed pepper. Pat it on firmly so that it sticks into the flesh. Salt the steaks on both sides. (Be sure to pepper and then salt, or the pepper will not stick to the steaks.)
• 3. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon butter. Rotate the pan as the butter melts, and when it begins to foam, lower the heat to medium. Lay the steaks in the pan and cook for 4 minutes, rotating them in the pan and spooning the cooking juices over them. Flip them with tongs or a spatula and cook 4 minutes on the other side, rotating and basting as before. Stand the steaks on their sides, using tongs to help, and cook them 2 minutes on their edges. Remove the steaks to the cooling rack and tent them loosely with aluminum foil.
• 4. Put a serving dish and a sauceboat to warm in the oven, turned to 150°F/80°C.
• 5. Pour the wine into the sauté pan and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula until the wine is syrupy.
• 6. Dice the rest of the butter, which should be well chilled. Add the veal stock to the pan and boil for 2 minutes. If you are using the crème fraîche, stir it in. Then stir in the diced butter bit by bit. Put this sauce through a fine strainer into the warmed sauceboat. If you are using the mustard, stir it in now. Taste for salt and pepper.
• 7. Put the steaks on the warmed serving platter, coat them with sauce, and serve the rest of the sauce on the side.

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.

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:

• Preheat oven to 200°F.
• Pat steaks dry 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.
• Heat a 12-inch heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over moderately high heat until hot, about 3 minutes, then add oil, swirling skillet, and sauté steaks in 2 batches, turning over once, about 6 minutes per batch for medium-rare.
• Transfer steaks as cooked to a heatproof platter and keep warm in oven while making sauce.
• Pour off fat from skillet, then add shallots and half of butter (2 tablespoons) 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 Cognac (use caution; it may ignite) 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 2 tablespoons butter and cook over low heat, swirling skillet, until butter is incorporated. Serve sauce with steaks.