G's Favorite: Steak Au Poivre

Yes, we know this happens in your home too, right? You & your spouse squabble about whose turn it is to pick the meal and also make it. Not who doesn't have to do it but instead "gets to" do it. We get it, we're a just a bit obsessed with food and preparing it. Most of our pals don't have the same squabbles about food.

And for the most part our desire is to actually cook it together.... Which is almost always the case. The squabble comes into play most often over who is getting to pick the meal to be made. Because as G loves to point out he is most often the "sous chef" and "chief dishwasher" especially if T is " the soul chef" of the meal if she gets to pick the meal to be made.

But on this particular night G was the lucky one to pick the meal. And of course he went with his classic favorite "Sunday Night Meal" Steak Au Poivre. If we go out to a steakhouse for dinner 95.5% of the time this dish is what he'll order. He's kind of predictable that way.

So T agreed to sit back and let G have full reign of the kitchen on this evening.

The Aug/Sept. 2011 version of Fine Cooking magazine (follow link to recipe.) got his juices flowing for this version of his favorite dish. So he prepared the magazine's version with some sauteed green beans and crimini mushrooms and garlic mashed potatoes.

T's contribution to the meal was pretty much only to put the cheese platter  munch while cooking appetizer together and take a few not well lit photos (gotta hate this "it gets dark @ 5:00" time of year.)

G went to our neighborhood Metropolitan Market and decided to go with the American version of Kobe Beef, Waygu for the steak choice.

He seasoned them well with a peppercorn  & Gray Salt rub.

(You'll notice G's is a bit more peppery than T's. G loves some peppercorn he does.)

Since the steak really didn't take long he immediately started on his side dishes.

He roasted the garlic for the potatoes,

blanched the green beans before sauteing them with the mushrooms

As things started to come together....

The peppercorn sauce became the priority after the steaks were seared and transferred to the oven to finish off.

G sauteed the peppercorns, butter, shallot and cognac together. He added just a wee bit of the all important cream.

He was a bit concerned that it just didn't look as it should. T ensured him he needed to add a bit more cream and turn up the heat just a bit.

After that the sauce came together quite nicely if we both must say so.

While all of this was occurring T opened a bottle of 2007 Walla Walla Cooper Cabernet Sauvignon that we'd been waiting a full year to open with a good steak dinner. Perfect.

G's dinner was wonderfully rich and flavorful with all the classic components of a fantastic steak house dinner. But EVEN better.

The steak was very rare, but perfectly cooked. The sauce was amazingly rich,creamy and delicious. His sides were just the right complements to the beef.

We fully admit it was a meal we spent the whole week working off...but sometimes it's more than worth it!