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Main Dishes

Steak au Poivre

Ingredients

  • 1 (4-pound) beef tenderloin
  • Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • Fresh thyme sprigs
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs
  • 2 shallots, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup Cognac or brandy
  • 1/2 cup demi-glace or dark stock
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons green peppercorns
  • 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 bunch watercress, trimmed

Tenderloin

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Pat tenderloin dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
  3. Heat oil in a large skillet until smoking.
  4. Sear tenderloin on all sides until a crust forms, about 7 minutes total.
  5. Add thyme and rosemary.
  6. Transfer pan to oven and roast 20 to 25 minutes for medium-rare.
  7. Remove tenderloin and rest 10 minutes before carving.

Sauce

  1. Pour excess fat from pan.
  2. Add shallots and sauté, scraping up browned bits.
  3. Remove pan from heat and add Cognac.
  4. Return to heat and ignite if desired.
  5. Allow flame to burn off naturally.
  6. Stir in demi-glace and cream and simmer until slightly thickened.
  7. Stir in mustard and peppercorns.
  8. Season with salt if needed.

To Serve

  1. Arrange watercress on a serving platter.
  2. Slice tenderloin into 1/2-inch slices and place over greens.
  3. Drizzle with sauce and garnish with parsley.
  4. Serve with pommes frites.