Steak with Pepper Cream Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 (6-8 oz) strip steaks, 3/4 to 1-inch thick
• Kosher salt
• 2 tsp black peppercorns
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, clarified
• 3/4 cup beef stock or broth
• 3 tbsp cognac
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp green peppercorns in brine

Tools

• Mortar and pestle
• Large, heavy saute pan
• Sheet pan with a draining rack set inside.
• Oven
• Cooking range

Directions

Preheat oven to 200°F.

Coarsely crush black pepper using mortar and pestle. Set aside. Drain and crush green peppercorns extremely coarsely (barely crack them open).

Sprinkle steaks with kosher salt and crushed black pepper. Heat butter in saute pan over medium heat. Once butter is hot, add steaks and cook until browned on each both sides. (About 2 minutes/side for medium-rare and 3 minutes/side for medium). Remove steaks from pan, place on draining rack (on sheet pan), and pace in the oven to keep warm.

Deglaze the pan using the beef broth/stock. Allow the liquid to reduce for 3 to 4 minutes over medium-high heat, whisking regularly. Add cognac, heavy cream, and green peppercorns to the pan. Increase heat to high and cook, whisking continually, until sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (5-7 minutes).

Season sauce to taste with kosher salt. Plate steaks, sauce, and serve immediately.