Peppered Fillet w. Mustard Sauce
Cook Time: ~15 Minutes
I must admit this dish is a bit of a faff, but there is nothing wrong with some faff now and again, and the results are worth it. A sharp, peppery, tender fillet steak accompanied and balanced by a thick and oniony cream sauce.
Serves: 2
Prep: ~5 minutes
Cook: ~10 minutes
Ingredients
2x Fillet steaks (~200g each)
Double cream (~200ml)
Wholegrain mustard (1.5 tbsp)
Flat leaf parsley (~20g)
2x Shallots
Black peppercorns (2 tsp)
White peppercorns (1 tsp)
Pink peppercorns (1 tsp)
Worchester sauce (~2 tsp)
Brandy (~60ml)
A knob of butter
Notes
Fillet: You can use other cuts of beef, but I’ve found it doesn’t work as well.
Sauce: The sauce produces enough to cover 4-6 steaks if needed.
Peppercorns: In a pinch, some grocers sell mixed peppercorns that should contain the black, pink, and white variety. While not efficient, I typically do this and pick out the colours I need.
Equipment
Medium-sized pan
Pestel and mortar
Mise En Place
Finely chop the parsley and shallots.
Cut your knob of butter into cubes.
Pour your black, pink, and black peppercorns into a pestle and mortar and gently crush. Sieve the peppercorns to remove any excess shells. Use the peppercorn seasoning to coat your fillet steaks, as well as a healthy lashing of salt.
The Cook
Start by adding oil to a pan and bringing it to high heat. Cook your steaks for 2 minutes 30 seconds on each side for a rare to medium doneness (or however long you like your steaks to cook). Once cooked, remove from the heat and place onto a plate with a rim and cover in tin foil.
Still hot, add your shallots to the pan with the leftover oil. Gently fry for ~2 minutes and then add the brandy to deglaze the pan. If you like, you can flambé the brandy (I prefer doing this in the essence of time). Alternatively, you can reduce the alcohol until it evaporates. Add the double cream and stir until it begins to bubble. Now add the juices from the resting steaks and butter and stir until the sauce thickens. Whisk in parsley, Worchester sauce, and wholegrain mustard. Remove from the heat. At this point, it’s a good idea to taste the sauce and compensate for whatever you feel is missing.
You can place the steaks into the pan and coat them in sauce before serving. Alternatively, you can spoon a few tablespoons of sauce onto the plate, gently lay your fillet steak on top, and sprinkle over finishing salt and parsley, as well as a last dollop of sauce to finish. Enjoy.
If you attempt this dish, let me know how it goes, and if you variate the recipe in any way. This newsletter relies upon word of mouth, so if you know someone who would enjoy this recipe please share it.
Thanks for reading,
Conor