Ingredients
Directions
Steak Au Poivre is among any great French bistro's 10 best dishes. Filet mignon is normally the best choice for a green peppercorn sauce (as I demonstrated in my Tournedos Steak recipe). But for this recipe, I wanted to try another cut of meat and found that ribeye works very well.
One final note. Green peppercorns are the same berries as black peppercorn, just harvested while unripe and still green. Their flavor is fresh and bright and wonderful in a dish like this. If you are using dry green peppercorns, it is best that they are brined in brandy overnight.
In a saucepan or skillet, sweat shallots with olive oil first for about 4 min on medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant and they lose their color. Add green peppercorns and cook for a minute or so. Crack some of the peppercorns with a large spoon. Add Cognac, bringing it to a boil and flambé. When the flame extinguishes, add stock, herbs and mustard and reduce by half. Add cream and reduce again by half, or until the sauce comes out creamy but not too thick or runny. Season with salt to taste. Keep warm.
Before serving, add rendered any meat juices and swirl in the butter. This will give the sauce a silky, shiny character. Green peppercorn sauce can be made in advance and kept refrigerated. Reheat the sauce slowly before serving and readjust consistency with a dash of water or stock.
Rub meat with salt first, and leave it out for about an hour. Heat a large skillet and drizzle a good amount of a high smoke point neutral oil such as grape seed, or peanut oil. Avoid olive oil, or butter unless butter is clarified.
For medium-rare (132ºF/55ºC) steak: sear the first ribeye side on high heat for 5 minutes. Flip steak and sear the other side for 3 minutes. Then lower the heat, add butter, crushed garlic and herbs. Avoid throwing in butter too early or it will burn. Baste meat and finish cooking for 2 more minutes. Transfer meat on wire rack and loosely tent with aluminum foil. Let rest for about 5 min, or a bit more before cutting. Save garlic for the asparagus. Save rendered meat juice for the green peppercorn sauce as a last touch up.
In large skillet, sear green asparagus for a couple of minutes with a drizzle of olive oil, crushed garlic from the seared ribeye, herbs and salt. Add chicken stock, cover and finish cooking on low for about 8 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, sear gratin Savoyard portions in each side and keep warm until serving.
Arrange sliced meat on hot plates along with asparagus and gratin savoyard. Cover meat with green peppercorn sauce. Enjoy!
