Steak with Cognac Pepper Sauce

Delicious served with crispy potatoes, buttered spinach green salad, or my fav skinny fries! Make sure you take the steaks out of the fridge an hour before cooking, so that they are room temperature when you are cooking them.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

2 x filet mignons steaks

3 tsp coarsely crushed whole black

1 tbsp oil

50g butter

For the Cognac Pepper Sauce

125ml heavy cream

100ml beef broth

100ml cognac

METHOD:

Firstly, remove the steaks from the fridge and put on a plate. I like to do this at least 30 minutes before I cook them so that the meat comes up to room temperature – it will result in a more tender meat. 

Coarsely crack the peppercorns (mortar and pestle), then press them onto both sides of the seasoned steaks so they form a generous crust.

Heat a heavy pan over high heat with the oil and butter, then sear the steaks 2–3 minutes per side for rare, a bit longer if you prefer, and rest them under foil on a warm plate.

Pour off excess fat but keep the browned bits, let the pan cool slightly, then add the Cognac, boil to reduce almost dry. Lower the heat, add the cream, and beef stock, let it bubble to a lightly thickened, adding an extra teaspoon of Cognac off the heat if you want more fragrance.

Serve the steaks on warm plates with the pepper Cognac cream spooned over. Serves with skinny fries.