Description
Fillet steak in a deliciously rich sauce flavoured with red wine, brandy and peppercorns. Serve simply with rosemary potato wedges and a green salad.
Ingredients
30g/1oz butter
1 tsp olive oil
4x200g/7oz fillet steak
3 tbsp brandy
1 tbsp green peppercorns
1 tbsp pink peppercorns
125ml/4½fl oz red wine
2 tbsp crème fraîche
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Trim any excess fat off the steaks. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.
2. In a cast iron frying pan heat half of the butter and the oil. When hot put in the steaks and cook for 5 minutes on each side over a medium-high heat. (This will produce a rare to medium steak).
3. Remove the steaks from the pan and keep them warm in the oven. Add the brandy to the juices in the pan and ignite.
4. Add the peppercorns, red wine and crème fraîche to the pan. Boil hard to combine. Season well and add the remaining butter.
5. Put steaks on to serving plates. Add any juices the steaks may have produced to the sauce. Carefully pour over the sauce and serve.
