Professor Bainbridge...on law, politics, religion, culture & food

Kentucky Steak au Poivre et Frites

• 2 or 3 NY strip steaks about 2/3-3/4 inch thick, trimmed of all fat; total post-trim weight around 1 pound


• 1 tablespoon olive oil


• 1 tablespoon butter


• 1 shallot, minced


• 1 clove garlic, minced


• 2 tablespoons Bourbon


• 2 tablespoons Cognac


• 1/4 cup beef or veal stock


• 2/3 cup heavy cream


• 1 tablespoon green peppercorns in brine


• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard with green peppercorns


• salt


• pepper


• 2 servings Ore-Ida Extra Crispy Fast Food French Fries, prepared per package instructions

I cheated a bit by using frozen fries, but it still turned out great.

Bring all ingredients to room temperature. Season the strip steaks with salt and feshly ground pepper. Drizzle olive oil over steaks. Heat a heavy fry pan (my beloved Le Creuset enameled cast iron 12-inch skillet worked great) over high heat until a drop of water skips and bounces off the pan surface. Reduce heat to medium-high and add steak. Cook 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove steaks to a warm plate and tent with foil. Reduce heat to medium, add butter (do not allow to burn) and as soon as it stops foaming add shallots and garlic. Stir rapidly for 1 minute. Do not let burn! Add Bourbon and Cognac. Return heat to high and flame using a long match or a long lighter wand. Be careful; you’re going to get a huge flame! Allow liquids to reduce to a syrup consistency. Add stock and again reduce until you have a syrup consistency. Reduce heat to medium low. Add cream, peppercorns, and mustard, stirring rapidly. Raise heat to medium-high until the liquid is boiling, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook sauce until it coats the back of a spoon.

Slice steaks thinly. Add any collected juices to sauce. Nap sauce over steak. Serve with fries and a quaffable young red wine. I offered Charles Joguet Les Varennes du Grand Clos Franc de Pied (Chinon) 2004.