brandy-cream

Bavette Steak au Poivre with Brandy Cream Sauce & Shoestring Fries

February 26

The bavette steak au poivre is my idea of perfect Valentine’s cooking, impressive, but secretly very straightforward.

Serves 2
1 hour

Method

1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into matchstick-thin strips, about 2–3 mm wide - if you have one, use a mandoline with a fine julienne blade to make sure all the potatoes are the same size and cook evenly.
2. Rinse the potatoes then place into a large bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside for at least 30 minutes, or up to a few hours to remove any excess starch and help make your fries super crispy!
3. When ready to cook, drain the potatoes and pat them completely dry with a clean tea towel or kitchen paper.
4. Place a large pot over a medium heat and add a couple of inches of oil, heating until the oil reaches 150°C.
5. In batches, fry the potatoes for 4 - 5 minutes until softened but not coloured then remove with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on kitchen paper whilst you fry the rest of the potatoes.
6. Once all the potatoes are cooked, increase the heat underneath the pot and bring the oil to 190°C. Fry the blanched fries again in batches for 2–3 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
7. Drain well and season immediately with salt.
8. To cook the steak, drizzle the bavette with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place a frying pan over a high heat and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, until the steak is medium rare - 52°C on a meat thermometer. Set aside to rest,
9. While the steak rests, carefully pour the whiskey into the same frying pan you cooked the steak in. Add the black pepper and balsamic and cook for about a minute until the liquid nearly evaporates then stir in the cream and let it reduce slightly before adding the butter and a little extra black pepper. Cook for a minute or 2 until the sauce slightly thickens then keep warm.
10. To make the salad, place the lettuce in a large bowl. Add the red onion and cornichons and toss to combine. Place the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon and honey into a small bowl along with a pinch of salt and pepper and whisk together well to emulsify then pour over the salad and toss everything together to coat in the dressing.
11. Pour any resting juices from the steak into the pan of pepper sauce and stir through then slice the steak against the grain and place onto a serving platter. Pour over the sauce and serve alongside the salad and matchstick fries.

1 lb 5 oz potatoes

4¼ cups neutral oil, for frying

Sea salt

For the salad:

½ a head frisee lettuce, roughly torn

½ red onion, very thinly sliced

2 cornichons, roughly chopped

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp honey

For the steak and pepper sauce:

1 lb 2 oz piece of bavette steak

5 tbsp whiskey

2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 cup double cream

1/4 cup butter

600g potatoes

1 litre neutral oil, for frying