Astrological Cookery - LEO’S PEPPER STEAK WITH BRANDY SAUCE
2 Tablespoons mixed peppercorns
(black, green,
white)
About 2 lbs of steak (about 1 inch
thick)
1 Tbs
butter
2 Tbs chopped green
onions
1/2 cup beef stock (canned if need
be)
1/3 cup brandy or cognac
Crush the
peppercorns in a mortar, or a grinder. Dry the meat with a paper towel, and
press the crushed pepper into it, top and bottom. Cover with wax paper or a tea
towel, and let it sit, for at least a half an hour, or as long as four hours.
The flavor of the pepper will permeate the steak. When you are ready, heat a
heavy skillet and melt the butter. Cook the steak to your liking- Rare is about
3 or 4 minutes per side, medium about 5to 7 minutes per side. If in doubt, slice
and peek- this is not a sign of weakness. Even Leos do not always posses the
power to see into cooked beef. When your steak is cooked, as you like, take it
from the pan and set it aside on a warm plate, preferably in a low oven, while
you do the sauce.
Drain the beef fat
from the skillet and set it aside, and toss in half the butter and the green
onions,. Cook for about one minute. Pour in the stock and scrape the pan as you
bring it up to a boil, adding what’s been left on the pan to the sauce. If
there is someone in the kitchen you want to impress, you tell them you are
deglazing. Add the brandy and boil for at least two minutes to evaporate the
alcohol. After less than three minutes, take the pan off the heat and add in the
rest of the butter. When it’s all together, get the steak to the table
and pour the sauce over the steak.
It
goes very well with some boiled or baked potatoes. If it’s asparagus
season, steam some up. As herself would say- Bon appetite!!
Posted: Tue - August 1, 2006 at 06:39 AM