hahabogus > wrote in message
...
> "The Ranger" > wrote in
> :
>> Lou Decruss > wrote in message
>> ...
>> [snip]
>>> I'm pretty good at picking out the good from bad
>>> too, but sometimes I goof too. I think the occasional
>>> mistake only makes me better in the kitchen.
>>
>> Bingo!
>>
>> If you don't make occasional mistakes, you aren't
>> good enough to recognize them and will repeat them.
>>
>> ObTopic: Steak au Poivre
>> Gourmet January 1994
>> Servings: Serves 2.
>>
>> Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
>>
>> Ingredients
>> 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
>> 1 teaspoon white peppercorns
>> 1 teaspoon dried green peppercorns
>> 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
>> 2 boneless shell steaks (3/4 pound each, about 1
>> 1/4 inches thick)
>> 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
>> 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
>> 3 tablespoons heavy cream
>> 2 tablespoons Cognac or brandy
>>
>> Preparation
>> In a heavy-duty sealable plastic bag or between 2
>> sheets of wax paper crush peppercorns and fennel
>> seeds coarsely with bottom of a heavy skillet. Pat
>> steaks dry and coat both sides with peppercorn
>> mixture. In a 10-inch heavy skillet heat butter and
>> oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking
>> and cook steaks for 4 to 5 minutes on each side
>> for medium rare. Season steaks with salt and
>> transfer to plates.
>>
>> Pour off excess fat from skillet and add cream and
>> Cognac. Boil mixture, scraping up browned bits,
>> until sauce thickens and coats back of spoon, about
>> 1 minute. Season sauce with salt and spoon over steaks.
>>
> Except for the fennel seeds looks taken from J child's first
> book. Also J. Child advises putting the crushed pepper
> into shallow slits in the steak.

Interesting. I didn't know either of those bits of trivia. I'll
bet those slits would allow better distribution of the
peppercorns'' kick, though.

The Ranger