FATHER'S DAY STEAK AU POIVRE

By Tom Mitchell-Dawson

Steak and chips is a classic Father's Day treat, combining perfectly seared steaks with gloriously crunchy chips and a punchy green peppercorn sauce.

There's a reason this dish has never fallen out of fashion: it's the perfect way to show someone how much you care about them. In this recipe, we're using green peppercorns for their unique flavour, but they can easily be replaced with coarsely ground black pepper for an equally delicious result. These thick-cut oven chips avoid the faff of deep frying and rely on a roast potato-like method of cooking to achieve the crunch we desire.

Set our London acrylic mills on the table, pour a cold drink and enjoy the look on your loved one’s face as they dig in.

FATHER’S DAY STEAK AU POIVRE

Serves: 2

Cook & Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 thick cut steaks 1 shallot, finely chopped
• A knob of butter
• 2 tbsps green peppercorns in brine (drained)
• 1 shot of brandy or whisky
• 250ml beef stock
• 1-2tbsp double cream
• 2 large potatoes

Method

1. Begin by preheating the oven to 220c. Next, peel the potatoes and cut into thick chips.
2. Add the potatoes to a pan of water and bring to the boil. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until just undercooked. Carefully remove the potatoes from the pan and allow to steam dry.
3. Preheat a deep roasting tray in the oven with a good amount of vegetable oil. When hot add the potatoes and coat them in the hot oil. Place them in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour turning every 15 minutes to ensure even cooking.
4. Remove the steaks from the fridge 15 minutes before you want to cook them. Pat them dry and season heavily with salt. Place a large frying pan over a high heat and allow it to get ripping hot. Add a splash of vegetable oil and carefully lay in the steaks.
5. For medium rare steaks, let the steaks cook undisturbed for 2 minutes before turning and cooking for a further 2 minutes. Remove the steaks from the pan with the cooking fat and allow to rest. Cooking times may vary depending on the thickness of your steaks and how you like them cooked.
6. Reduce the pan heat to medium and add a knob of butter along with the shallots and cook for a couple of minutes to let them soften. Next, add the green peppercorns along with the brandy or whisky. Turn up the heat and boil rapidly to cook off the alcohol. Alternatively, if you are confident, you can flambè the alcohol.
7. Add the stock and reduce rapidly until the sauce thickens considerably add in the cream and stir the combine. Finish the sauce with any resting juices from the steak and season with salt.
8. To serve, drain the chips on a paper towel then season with salt. Cut the steaks against the grain and season with a little black pepper. Serve with lots of peppercorn sauce and enjoy.