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By J.Ho, March 5, 2012 9:50 pm

The flavor is rich and complex, yet the preparation is fast and simple. BOOM!!

I’ve been preparing this dish and ones similar for a long time now.  This version just cannot be matched.  I’ve done a lot of studying up on French cuisine and lately it’s been my go to style when making a special meal.

I read a recipe in Saveur which stated, “According to French steak specialist Francis Marie, steak au poivre originated in the 19th century in the bistros of Normandy, where noted figures took their female companions for late suppers, and where pepper’s purported aphrodisiac properties may have proved most useful.”

Well, I can tell you one thing for sure … chicks dig this dish.  Big time!  I’m not sure if it’s due to the pepper or whatever.  Like it matters?

There are a million different ways to prepare a steak au poivre.  And there are many different types of peppercorns to use.  Sometimes I’ll sauté fresh shallots before I add the cognac. Some recipes call for beef stock.  Some call for port or vinegar.  This method has worked well for me and I’m certain you’ll love it.

The Ingredients

• 4 tenderloin steaks, 6 to 8 ounces each
• Coarse sea salt
• 2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup Cognac, plus 1 teaspoon
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Freshly chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

The Plan

Remove steaks from the refrigerator 30 minutes and up to 1 hour prior to cooking to allow them to come up to near room temperature and sprinkle with salt.  The last thing you want to do is immediately start cooking a cold steak.

I use a mortar and pestle to crush up the peppercorns.  Don’t use a peppermill.  It crushes them down too small.  You want big chunky pieces of peppercorn.  Apply enough pressure to all of the peppercorns just so they crack in two or three pieces. Press the peppercorns generously into both sides of each steak till you’re practically covered each surface with cracked peppercorns.  Set aside.

In your favorite skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter and olive oil. DO NOT USE A NON-STICK SKILLET!! 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. You want a nice crust 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.

Pull the pan off the heat and add the cognac.  Carefully ignite the alcohol.  Some people use a long lighter for this, but I usually tilt the pan over the gas flame to ignite.  You have to be wicked careful when employing this technique! Gently shake pan until the flames die. 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 a teaspoon of cognac and season with salt. Spoon the sauce over all over the steaks and garnish with parsley.  Serve with your favorite Shiraz!

My creamed spinach accompanies this dish perfectly.  If you’re ever in San Francisco, stop by Izzy’s Steak & Chop House. They serve up a filet mignon medallion au poivre dish that is divine!

Yankees suck!

Filet Mignon au Poivre

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By J.Ho, September 7, 2011 11:41 pm

Oh. My. Goooaahhd! This was hands down the best dish I made all summer.  Coming off back-to-back cooking disasters over the weekend I climbed back to the top of the charts with this zinger!  I rarely experience a cooking fail and I NEVER post two consecutive fails!  This dish was simple and good!  Wicked good!

This type of sauce isn’t revolutionary by any means, but people rarely make it at home.  Canned tomatoes make things a whole lot easier, but nothing can compare to a sauce that’s make with 100% fresh ingredients.

I’m a minimalist.  The fewer the ingredients, the better. My golden rule in the kitchen is utilize the best, freshest possible ingredients.  So there!

The Ingredients

• 4 pounds fresh Roma tomatoes .. peeled, seeded and chopped
• ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ½  cup chopped fresh basil, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup fresh oregano, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup dry red wine
• pinch or two crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 pound spaghetti, cooked
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

The Plan

First off, you have to hand pick the best Roma tomatoes you can.  Four pounds comes out to about two dozen regular sized Roma tomatoes.  When picking out tomatoes, as with all ripe fruits, a ripe tomato will seem heavy for its size. If you’re not sure what this feels like, you can get and idea by picking up several different tomatoes of a similar size and comparing their heft.  Once you’ve found a nice weighty tomato, hold it up to your nose and take a nice big sniff.  The best tomatoes will have an awesome garden fresh aroma.  Finally, how does the tomato feel? A ripe tomato will be soft when pressed, but not mushy. Again, as with other fruits, you’ll want to avoid tomatoes that are bruised or that have broken skin.

Prepare a large bot of boiling water as well as a large bowl of ice water. Give the tomatoes a good rinse and cut 1/2 inch criss-cross slits into the tips of each tomato.  Working in batches, drop the tomatoes in the boiling water and blanch for about one minute.  Remove the tomatoes and drop them into the bowl of ice water to cool.  The blanching process should have popped the skins of the tomatoes and make them very easy to peel.  Trim of the bottom stem part and peel off all the skin.  Slice each tomato in half and carve out the inner structure and remove all the seeds along with the slimy stuff.  What you’ll be left with is the rich, deep red meaty part of the tomato which should then be finely diced.

In a large sauté pan add the olive oil over medium heat.  Toss in the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for a few minutes.  If you have time the best thing to do is let the garlic “sweat” over the lowest possible heat setting for about a half an hour.  This will bring out more flavor than you could possibly imagine.  Add the diced fresh tomatoes and red wine.  Stir well and simmer for about 20 minutes.  Add the chopped basil and oregano and simmer for another 10 minutes.  Toss in one pound of cooked spaghetti.

Bang-Bang … Done-Done!  Nice bum, where ya from?

Now I’m still no good at all when it comes to food photography, but I took a shot anyway.  This time I tossed in a little sweet Italian sausage, but next time I’ll probably prepare as described above!

Enjoy!  Yankees suck!

Fresh Tomato Sauce with Basil & Oregano

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By J.Ho, November 20, 2007 10:12 pm

My 2nd mother, Halina, gave me this recipe. It’s divine! The Grand Marnier was my idea though.

1 12-oz bag of fresh cranberries
1 cup pineapple juice
2/3 cup sugar
2 shots Grand Marnier or Triple Sec
Dash of ground nutmeg

Place the cranberries in a colander and rinse under cold water, discarding any stems or rotten cranberries. There are always a few in each bag. Take one cranberry and eat it raw while looking at yourself in a mirror. You should have made a funny face.

In a heavy sauce pan mix sugar and pineapple juice and throw in the cranberries and nutmeg. Cover and bring to a boil. When the boiling begins you should hear the cranberries starting to pop open. Remove cover and stir. Reduce heat slightly and continue slow boiling while stirring very often. After about five minutes all of the cranberries should have popped. Smash any cranberries that appear to be intact with the back side of a spoon. Cook another minute or two while continuing to stir. After it has a jelly-like consistency, remove from heat and spoon into a bowl. Cover and cool completely in the fridge.

Happy Thanksgiving! Yankees suck!

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By J.Ho, March 8, 2006 7:15 am

Go away or I shall I taunt you a second time-ah!

Most Monty Python purists should catch that one. Recently a friend and I were loosely discussing planning a trip to Paris. Living in Europe for many years I got to visit Paris several times. I’d love to go back and I think we’re serious about it this time. I dusted out my trusty old French Provisional cookbook and sliced and diced through it to find some great recipes that I’ve tried in the past. The ones that follow are simple and awesome. For the record, I love French cooking! I don’t speak French, however, I do kiss that way.

The steak:
1 pound of top sirloin (one large piece preferably)
Salt and crushed black peppercorns
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons brandy, warmed (zap it in the micro for 10-15 seconds)

Season the steak with the salt and peppercorns and brush it with a little oil. Heat the butter and olive oil in a heavy pan. When it’s very hot add the steak. Cook the steak, turning only once, to your desired doneness. Remove the pan from the heat, pour the warmed brandy over it and ignite. When the flames have died down, transfer the steak to a serving dish and keep warm.

The sauce:
6 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoon butter
1 large clove garlic, crushed and minced
4 teaspoons fresh tarragon or dill, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons heavy cream
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Pour off the liquid from the steak into a small saucepan. Add the garlic, herbs and mustard to the saucepan, whisking well. Add the cream, and heat over very low heat, whisking all the time until the sauce is very hot, but not boiling. Season with salt and pepper. Slice the steak, against the grain, into ¼ inch slices. Pour the sauce over the steak and serve with Lyonnaise potatoes and leeks in white wine sauce.

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By J.Ho, March 6, 2006 5:28 am

Here is a simple way to make a good marinara sauce. There are as many was to make marinara sauce as there are hungry Italians-Americans. It would be blasphemous to use a jarred marinara sauce.

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup butter
3 large garlic cloves
Handful fresh Italian flat leaf parsley sprigs (leaves only)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
Three large cans peeled, diced & stewed plum tomatoes (about six cups)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste

Combine olive oil and butter in a saucepan and heat. Chop garlic and parsley together and add to the pan. Cook slowly for five minutes, then add the salt and pepper. Drain the canned tomatoes and add them along with the oregano to the sauce and cook slowly for 30 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stir well and remove from heat. At the end of the cooking, taste for salt and add some if necessary.