LAST EDITED ON 05-15-12 AT 05:55 AM (EST)I’m sorry I’m late. We had a huge party last weekend and the two weekends prior were spent preparing for it. So, onto the OTCC 2012 Month of May Recipe.
If you were to be a guest at our house for dinner, this is likely what you would be served. DH was in charge of the Steak au Poivre and I made the mousse.
Steak au Poivre
4 tenderloin steaks (or whatever cut suits your fancy), 6-8oz. each and no more than 1 1/2 inches thick
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/3 cup Cognac, plus 1 teaspoon
1 cup heavy cream
Directions:
Remove the steaks from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour prior to cooking. Sprinkle all sides with salt.
Coarsely crush the peppercorns with a mortar and pestle, the bottom of a cast iron skillet, or using a mallet and pie pan. Spread the peppercorns evenly onto a plate. Press the fillets, on both sides, into the pepper until it coats the surface. Set aside.
In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil. As soon as the butter and oil begin to turn golden and smoke, gently place the steaks in the pan. For medium-rare, cook for 4 minutes on each side. Once done, remove the steaks to a plate, tent with foil and set aside. Pour off the excess fat but do not wipe or scrape the pan clean.
Off of the heat, add 1/3 cup Cognac to the pan. BE CAREFUL!!! This could cause flames to come up so the slower, the better. Return the pan to medium heat and add the cream. Bring the mixture to a boil and whisk until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Add the teaspoon of Cognac and season, to taste, with salt. Add the steaks back to the pan, spoon the sauce over, and serve.
To the cream, DH added sautéed green onions and fresh cut mushrooms deglazed with the cognac. He also used rib-eyes and used less peppercorns on mine. We paired the steaks with baby red potatoes with olive oil, celtic sea salt, fresh rosemary and finished it off with some steamed asparagus.
Steak Prep:
Steak Prep:
Steak initial cooking:
Mushrooms and onions cooking:
Sauce:
Dinner:
When I was in eighth grade, for a church fundraiser, my mom and her friend auctioned off a gourmet dinner party for four. This is the dessert that they made. I remember it very vividly as I was the one who had to squeeze all the lime juice and zest the rinds.
Lime Mousse courtesy of the Silver Palate Cookbook
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
5 eggs
1 cup sugar
¾ cup fresh lime juice (6 or 7 limes)
Grated zest of 5 limes
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
Melt the butter in the top of a double boiler over simmering water.
Beat the eggs and sugar in a bowl until light and foamy. Add the mixture to the melted butter. Cook gently, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes a custard, about 8 minutes. Do not overcook or the eggs will scramble.
Remove the custard from the heat and stir in the lime juice and grated zest. Cool to room temperature.
This step is unorthodox but crucial. Using an electric mixer, whip the chilled cream until very stiff, almost, but not quite, to the point where it would become butter.
Stir the lime custard into the whipped cream until just incorporated. Pour into 8 individual serving glasses or a serving bowl. Chill for at least 4 hours.
I used a microblade to zest the rinds and that is fantastic for zesting. The flavor was a bit stronger than I remember so I would use either less lime juice or more whipped cream folded in. As always, I would highly suggest freezing the bowl and beaters that you are going to use prior to whipping the cream.
Enjoy!
