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Steak au Poivre

Steak au poivre (steak with peppercorns) is one of the all-time great French bistro dishes. Few things complement a great steak like peppercorns, brandy, and cream. Needless to say, the original is way out of our budget, calorically speaking. At one-fourth of the original calories and one-tenth of the fat, this version will make you wonder why it hasn’t been revised until now.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4

Ingredients

4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon very coarsely ground black pepper
Four 4-ounce portions lean filet mignon (about 1 inch thick)
Salt
Nonstick cooking spray
2 tablespoons brandy or cognac
1 1/2 cups evaporated skim milk
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat.

    Step 2

    Place the 4 tablespoons pepper on a small plate. Season the steaks with salt to taste, and dredge one side of each steak in the pepper, pressing down so that it adheres well.

    Step 3

    When the pan is hot, spray it generously with cooking spray and add the steaks, pepper side down. Cook the steaks for 3 to 4 minutes per side for rare. Transfer the steaks to a serving platter, and tent it with foil to keep them warm.

    Step 4

    Add the brandy and the remaining 1 teaspoon pepper to the skillet. While the brandy is reducing, whisk the evaporated skim milk into the cornstarch in a medium bowl.

    Step 5

    When the brandy has reduced by about half, whisk the cornstarch mixture into the skillet. Bring the sauce to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer, whisking constantly, until the sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the steaks, and serve.

  2. nutrition information

    Step 6

    Fat: 86.3g (before), 7.8g (after)

    Step 7

    Calories: 1,325 (before), 294 (after)

    Step 8

    Protein: 33g

    Step 9

    Carbohydrates: 18g

    Step 10

    Cholesterol: 80mg

    Step 11

    Fiber: 2g

    Step 12

    Sodium: 322mg

Now Eat This by Rocco DiSpirito. Copyright © 2010 by Rocco DiSpirito. Published by Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. Hailed as the "Leading Chef of his Generation" by Gourmet magazine, Rocco DiSpirito received the James Beard Award for his first cookbook, Flavor. He went on to author Rocco's Italian-American (2004), Rocco's Five Minute Flavor (2005), Rocco's Real-Life Recipes (2007), and Rocco Gets Real (2009). DiSpirito also starred in the Food Network series Melting Pot, the NBC hit reality series The Restaurant, and the A&E series Rocco Gets Real.
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