Peppered steaks

Peppered steak is a traditional French dish.  The pepper compliments and enhances the taste

of the steak, curiously, without producing a dish that is too spicy to eat.  The Cognac and

cream finish the dish off well creating a lovely rounded experience.

Preparation Time             10  Mins

Cooking Time                 10  Mins

Elapsed Time                  20  Mins

Ingredients

For     2  portions

30 gms             Butter

70 ml               Cognac

70 ml               Cream

1 tbs               Olive oil

½                   Onion  - sliced thinly

2 tbs               Peppercorns  - black, crushed

                      Salt

2                    Steaks  - rump

½ tsp              Sugar  - granulated

Method

Salt the steaks and leave to stand for a couple of minutes.  Roll the steaks in the pepper which

has been spread over a plate.  Keep any remaining pepper for the sauce.

Fry the onion in a mixture of the butter and olive oil.  As soon as the onion has begun to turn

golden, turn up the heat and fry the meat for two minutes on each side for rare – longer if you

prefer it more cooked.  Remove the steaks and onion from the frying pan and place on a hot

plate.

Before replacing the frying pan on the heat, add the sugar and deglaze by flaming with Cognac.

 Before the flames have died down, pour in the cream and remainder of the pepper from the

plate.  Put on a high heat and boil the sauce to reduce it.  When it has begun to caramelise slightly, pour over the meat and serve.

Wine recommendations

Conventional

          Côte Chalonnaise rouge

Interesting

          Cairanne

          Côtes du Luberon

Special

          Morey-Saint-Denis