by Austin Butler
We have an incredible new product tucked away on our shelves—green salt-cured peppercorns from Cambodia. They are bright, salty, and spicy, with a vegetal kick that’s right at home in a bowl of green curry. But I wanted to try them in a bistro classic that’s perfect for a Valentine’s Day menu: Steak au Poivre. Nowadays you see Steak au Poivre made with black peppercorns, but traditionally it was made with brined green peppercorns. This dish sauce comes together quickly like most bistro dishes (bistro comes from the Russian быстрее or “quicker!”). Served alongside a simple salad and a potato dish like Pommes Lyonnaise or Fondant Potatoes, you have a meal to swoon over.
Steak of your choosing (I used 2 x 8 oz. New York Strips)
1 shallot, minced
200 g. crème fraîche (about one 8oz container)
3 tbsp unsalted butter
50 g/ 3 tbsp Mill Pepper Co. Ltd Green Kampot Salt Cured Peppercorns
3 tbsp Brandy / Cognac (I used Lustau)
1 c beef stock
Parsley
Tips: While the flambé is optional, I highly recommend it. Besides the impressive display, it gives you a visual cue when the alcohol has cooked off. Brace yourself for a WHOOSH! And be sure to have adequate clearance above the range and stand back lest you lose your eyebrows.
Lightly season the steak with salt and then generously season it with black pepper. The green peppercorns are cured in salt and will be our primary source of salt. Use unsalted butter and, if you’re using another brand of beef stock, be sure to use low sodium or no sodium stock.
Cook the steak to your desired preference. I allowed the New York Strips to temper for an hour and then pan seared them over high heat for about 4 minutes each side until the internal temperature read 135º (medium rare). Remove them from the pan and allow them to rest while you build the pan sauce. Remove any excess oil from the pan.
Return the pan to medium heat. Add a knob of butter and the shallots to the pan and scrape up the fond.
Add the green peppercorns.
Add the cognac or brandy. Flambé! Reduce the sauce to almost nothing.
Add the beef stock and reduce for several minutes until it is syrupy. You can use France 44 Demi instead of Beef Stock to speed this process up.
Add the crème fraîche slowly to prevent it from breaking.
Reduce the sauce until it coats the back of a spoon and a clean line is left when you drag a finger across it. Taste it and adjust the seasoning accordingly. I usually add more freshly cracked black pepper.
Serve over the steak and garnish with parsley.
Note: these NY Strips had a pretty significant fat cap, but that could be trimmed down per your preference.