Steak Au Poivre

RECIPE BY

Ludo Lefebvre

The French-born chef started working in Michelin-starred kitchens when he was just 14, and he went on to spend two decades learning from some of France's greatest chefs including Alain Passard, Marc Meaneau, Pierre Gagnaire and Guy Martin. His restaurants Petit Trois in Los Angeles and Chez Maggy in Denver, Colorado are renowned for their classic French cuisine. He’s also an innovator, crowned the ‘pop-up king’ and known for bringing a fried chicken food truck to the streets of LA.

We’re excited to share Ludo Lefebvre’s recipe for steak with pepper sauce.

Steak au poivre is one of the world’s classic bistro dishes. It’s usually made with eye fillet (filet mignon) but Westholme’s compact and tender Manhattan filet is perfect. The fine marbling in the wagyu helps form a beautiful crust on the steak with a crispness that persists even after it’s drowned in creamy, Cognac-spiked pepper sauce.

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Steak

4 x 170 grams (6 oz) Westholme Manhattan Filets
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Grapeseed oil

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Au Poivre Sauce

1 tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 sprig rosemary
¼ cup Cognac
1 cup beef stock
1 cup crème fraiche
2½ tsp black peppercorns, coarsely ground
1½ tbsp brined green peppercorns (Madagascar brand)
1½ tsp fleur de sel

Steak

Heat oven to 180C / 350F.
Heat up a cast iron skillet. Season the filet with kosher salt and black pepper.
Heat grapeseed oil in the skillet until hot and sear the filet for about 4 minutes each side.
Remove the steak and let rest in a warm place for at least 5 minutes.
Spoon the Au Poivre sauce (see recipe below) over top of the steak completely covering it.
Crack black pepper on top of the filet and serve with green salad or French fries.

Au Poivre Sauce

In a small pan, add butter and saute the garlic and rosemary until fragrant.
Add the Cognac and cook off the alcohol over medium heat.
Stir in the beef stock and crème fraiche and continue to simmer for about 5 minutes.
Strain the sauce into a pot and add the black peppercorns and green peppercorns. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Finish with fleur de sel.

"Steak au poivre is one of the world’s classic bistro dishes."

– Ludo Lefebvre