Filet Mignon Au Poivre in a Peppery Cream Sauce
A French Bistro classic, the Filet Mignon Au Poivre packs a pleasant punch of peppercorns. By crusting just one side we can take advantage of searing the exposed side, creating fond to build the peppery cream sauce. Butter basting while searing the peppered side protects the peppers from burning. Additionally, the brined green peppercorns are your secret weapon for the cream sauce, adding a floral aroma while hitting the perfect pepper notes.
Ingredients:
4 (6-ounce) Certified Angus Beef ® filet mignon steaks
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, divided
2 teaspoons peppercorn trio
1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons brined green peppercorns
1/4 cup cognac or brandy
1 cup Beef Bone Broth (or substitute salt-free beef stock)
1 cup heavy cream
Instructions:
To begin with, place red and black whole peppercorns (or peppercorn trio) in a heavy duty zipper locking bag and set on a cutting board. Using a meat mallet or a heavy sauce pan, crack peppercorns so they are broken but still coarsely cracked.
Season filets on both sides with 1 ½ teaspoons salt. Then coat the top sides with the cracked peppercorns, pushing the peppercorns into the steaks to adhere.
Preheat oven to 325°F
While oven is heating, heat oil in a large stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat and place the filets in the pan with the pepper side up. Sear filets for 2 to 3 minutes to develop a brown crust then flip steaks. Add butter to the pan and sear for 2 more minutes, while spooning melted butter over steaks to baste.
Remove filets from the skillet and place on a sheet pan in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the internal temperature is 130°F for medium rare. While filets bake assemble the sauce.
Peppery Cream Sauce
Reduce heat to medium and add shallots and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet. Saute for 1 minute then stir in green peppercorns and brandy. Reduce brandy for about 1 minute or until all of the alcohol has cooked off, then stir in beef bone broth (or beef stock) and heavy cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and rapidly simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by half. In general, the sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Once steaks have been removed from the oven, allow them to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Add any drippings from the sheet pan to the sauce, stir to incorporate. Serve each filet with about 1/4 cup of sauce.
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