When I go to a steakhouse, I love getting some kind of sauce with my steak. It could be a mushroom sauce, a red wine reduction, or a peppercorn sauce. The French call that sauce au poivre. And sorry, but I don't even know why the o, the I, the r and the e are in that spelling. It kind of wears me out. I much prefer calling it a peppercorn cream sauce.
Enough of that. I found this great recipe, and it's super easy. If you're a real chef (spoiler alert - I'm not), you make the sauce after you sear the steaks in the pan. Because I usually cook my steaks on the Big Green Egg and/or the grill, that doesn't work for me. So if you have a few extra pieces of fat that you've trimmed from the steaks you're cooking, that would be useful, but you don't need it.
This recipe was adapted from the Don't Go Bacon My Heart website - great name! - at www.dontgobaconmyheart.co.uk
Yields1 ServingPrep Time1 minCook Time2 minsTotal Time3 mins
2ozSteak pieces/Trimmed Fat(Optional - but it does add flavor)
1Large Shallot - Finely diced
4clovesGarlic, Finely Diced
2tbspButter
¾cupBeef Stock
¾cupHeavy Cream
1tbspCourse Black PepperTraditionalists have you crushing peppercorns, but I keep it easy)
1tspWorcestershire Sauce
½tspSalt
1tspHerbes de Provence
1
In a small to medium (2-3 cup) saucepan, sauté the steak/fat pieces for 3-4 minutes. I cheat and add a little more butter, because, why not? Remove the pieces when they look cooked. Keep all of the fat and juices in the pan.
Saute the shallots and garlic
2
In the same saucepan, melt butter, and add shallots. Saute 7-8 minutes until soft.
3
Add chopped garlic. Saute for 1 minute until golden. Do not overcook.
4
Optional step: add sautéd veggies to blender/chopper with 1/2 of beef stock. Blend so that pieces are no longer noticeable. Not long at all.
Cooking down the sauce
5
Return veggies to sauce pan, add the rest of the beef broth and all of the heavy cream, along with the course black pepper.
6
Keep on low heat, stir frequently, and let it cook down. At least 30 minutes.
7
Add salt, and herbs, and set aside until you're ready to serve!
2ozSteak pieces/Trimmed Fat(Optional - but it does add flavor)
1Large Shallot - Finely diced
4clovesGarlic, Finely Diced
2tbspButter
¾cupBeef Stock
¾cupHeavy Cream
1tbspCourse Black PepperTraditionalists have you crushing peppercorns, but I keep it easy)
1tspWorcestershire Sauce
½tspSalt
1tspHerbes de Provence
Directions
1
In a small to medium (2-3 cup) saucepan, sauté the steak/fat pieces for 3-4 minutes. I cheat and add a little more butter, because, why not? Remove the pieces when they look cooked. Keep all of the fat and juices in the pan.
Saute the shallots and garlic
2
In the same saucepan, melt butter, and add shallots. Saute 7-8 minutes until soft.
3
Add chopped garlic. Saute for 1 minute until golden. Do not overcook.
4
Optional step: add sautéd veggies to blender/chopper with 1/2 of beef stock. Blend so that pieces are no longer noticeable. Not long at all.
Cooking down the sauce
5
Return veggies to sauce pan, add the rest of the beef broth and all of the heavy cream, along with the course black pepper.
6
Keep on low heat, stir frequently, and let it cook down. At least 30 minutes.
7
Add salt, and herbs, and set aside until you're ready to serve!
