Pepper Steak Recipe

Pepper Steak Recipe

4 fillet steaks or sirloin steaks, each weighing 200 to 250g

1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper to coat steaks

1 teaspoon fine salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, chopped finely

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons freshly-ground black peppercorns

(leave it a bit rough)

1½ cups stock (vegetable, chicken or beef, or use 1 chicken stock cube)

½ cup fresh thick cream

2 to 3 tablespoons XO Cognac, optional if children are eating

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon freshly-chopped parsley

1 tablespoon freshly-chopped scallions or chives

Method:

The sauce should be made before steaks are fried.  To release the essential oils of black peppercorns, dry-fry them first in a flat pan on low heat for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.  Remove and set aside.  Wipe pan clean.  In another pan, melt butter on medium heat, making sure it does not burn.  Add chopped onion and sauté over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes until translucent and soft (this releases the sugar and adds sweetness to the sauce).  Add flour and stir-fry over medium heat until puffy.  Stir in the stock, cream and Cognac; simmer until mixture thickens.  While sauce mixture is simmering, prepare to cook the steaks.  Coat steaks with 1 teaspoon black pepper.  Heat vegetable oil in the clean pan.  Cook one side of the steaks over medium high heat for about 4 minutes (or as long as it takes to reach the doneness you require).  Sprinkle half of the salt over the steaks, turn them over with a pair of tongs and cook the other side.  To the simmering sauce mixture, add the dry-fried black peppercorns and Worcestershire sauce; simmer for 5 minutes more, stirring continuously.  Add parsley and scallions and simmer for another 5 minutes.  Turn the heat off and set sauce aside.  Using a pair of tongs, place steaks on individual dinner plates.  Pour the XO Black Pepper Sauce over and serve with hot, crisp French fries and vegetables like peas and carrots.