Categories: Meals
Ingredients
- Potatoes:
- 1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, about 5 potatoes
- 2 large cloves garlic
- Salt
- 1 cup half-n-half or whole milk
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 bunch scallions, 5 to 6
- White pepper
- Sichuan Steak au Poivre:
- About 2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 4 steaks (6 to 7 ounces) beef tenderloin filet, each about 1 1/4 inches thick
- Kosher salt
- 2 shallots
- 1 inch ginger root
- 2 cloves garlic
- EVOO
- 3 tablespoons butter
- About 1/4 cup Shaoxing Chinese sherry or 2 tablespoons cognac or brandy
- 1 cup beef bone broth or stock
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup creme fraiche
- Upland cress or watercress, to serve
Directions
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Gather your ingredients.
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For the potatoes: Quarter the potatoes. Place potatoes and garlic, crushed away from skins, in a pot. Cover with cold water, cover and bring to a boil. When they boil, remove the lid, salt the water and cook to tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and rice into pot using a food mill or ricer.
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Meanwhile, warm half-n-half or milk and butter in a small pot over medium-low heat. Finely chop the scallions, whites and greens.
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For the steaks: Coarsely grind the peppercorns in mortar with pestle. Pat steaks dry, season with kosher salt and rub with peppercorn mixture. Let stand 10 minutes.
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Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
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Peel and finely chop the shallots. Peel ginger with tip of a teaspoon and have a fine grater on hand. Crush the garlic and discard skins and root.
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To skillet add EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, and melt in 1 tablespoon butter. Add steaks and cook 2 to 3 minutes to brown. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Remove to platter. Add 2 tablespoons butter and when it foams add the shallots, garlic and grate in the ginger. Stir a minute or 2, then add sherry or cognac or brandy, stir, and add bone broth. Reduce by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Finish with creme fraiche to taste. Add beef back to pan and turn to warm in the sauce.
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Add hot milk and scallions to potatoes and season with salt and white pepper to taste.
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Place steaks on plates, top with sauce and cress and scallion potatoes alongside.