Filet of Beef au Poivre
Recipe GLPR19a240fdf386b4
An elegant French classic featuring tender filet mignon steaks encrusted with coarsely ground black pepper and finished with a rich cognac and shallot pan sauce. The steaks are seared until medium-rare and served with a silky butter sauce infused with beef broth and brandy.
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Ingredients
6 Filet mignon steaks, 1 1/4 inches thick
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons Coarsely ground black pepper
3½ tablespoons Unsalted butter, divided
1½ tablespoons Olive oil
¾ cup Shallots, chopped
1 cup Beef broth
½ cup Cognac or brandy
Directions
Pat the filet mignon steaks dry with paper towels. Season each steak generously with kosher salt on both sides. Press the coarsely ground black pepper firmly and evenly onto both sides of each steak. Place the seasoned steaks on a cutting board and let them rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
In a large sauté pan, combine 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter with the olive oil. Heat over medium-high heat until the butter is foaming and just beginning to smoke. Carefully place the steaks in the hot pan and immediately reduce the heat to medium. Sear the steaks for 4 minutes on the first side without moving them, then flip and cook for 3 minutes on the second side to achieve medium-rare doneness (internal temperature of 145F for whole cuts of beef). Transfer the seared steaks to a warm serving platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat remaining in the sauté pan. Add the chopped shallots and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes until softened. Pour in the beef broth and increase the heat to high. Simmer for 4 to 6 minutes, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until the liquid is reduced by half. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the cognac, then return to the heat and cook for 2 more minutes.
Remove the pan from heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt until the butter is melted and the sauce is silky. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Spoon the warm cognac-shallot sauce over the filets and serve immediately.
