Fridge Friend Recipes
Fillet Steak for Two with Peppercorn Sauce recipe
A simple Valentine’s Day dinner of seared fillet steak with a creamy peppercorn sauce, served with chips or veg.
30 min · Medium · British Jump to method
Ingredients
- 2 x 200 g fillet steak
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 25 g butter
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 small shallot
- 100 ml double cream
- 100 ml beef stock
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- to taste sea salt
| Nutrition | Per servingEstimated |
|---|---|
| Calories | 583 kcal |
| Protein | 41 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3 g |
| Fat | 45 g |
| Saturated fat | 22 g |
| Fibre | 0.4 g |
| Sugar | 1.8 g |
| Sodium | 520 mg |
Why this works
Very high in protein and energy-dense, but also high in saturated fat and relatively high in sodium due to the cream, butter and added salt.
High-quality protein. Fillet steak provides a substantial amount of complete protein, supporting muscle maintenance and satiety.
Iron and vitamin B12. Beef is a good source of haem iron and vitamin B12, both important for red blood cell formation and energy metabolism.
Saturated fat and sodium. Double cream, butter and added salt make this dish high in saturated fat and sodium, so it is best eaten in moderation.
Method
- Take the steaks out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking and season both sides with sea salt.
Let the meat lose its chill a little so the centre cooks more evenly; if it is still icy-cold, the outside can overcook before the middle has warmed through.
- Crush the peppercorns lightly. Finely chop the shallot.
Aim for a mixture of coarse and fine cracks rather than a powder, so the pepper keeps some bite in the sauce instead of turning harsh and muddy.
- Heat a frying pan over a high heat with the olive oil. Sear the steaks for 2 to 3 minutes on each side for medium-rare, or cook longer to suit.
The pan should be properly hot before the steaks go in and you should hear an immediate, lively sizzle; if the oil is smoking heavily, turn the heat down slightly to avoid a bitter crust.
- Add the butter to the pan for the last minute, spooning it over the steaks, then rest the steaks on a warm plate.
Use the melted butter as a basting spoon, tilting the pan so the foaming fat pools and can be spooned back over the meat. Resting on a warm plate keeps the juices from flooding out when you slice the steak.
- Lower the heat, add the shallot to the pan and cook for 1 minute until softened.
Keep the heat at medium rather than high so the shallot turns translucent without catching, as browned bits here will tint the sauce and make it taste bitter.
- Pour in the beef stock and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up the sticky bits from the pan.
Use the liquid to deglaze the pan by scraping firmly with a wooden spoon until the base looks clean and glossy; if the stock boils down too hard, top it up with a splash of water rather than letting it scorch.
- Stir in the double cream, Dijon mustard and crushed peppercorns, then simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Stir continuously as the cream goes in so the sauce emulsifies smoothly, and stop the simmer as soon as it coats the back of a spoon; a rolling boil can split the cream and dull the peppery flavour.
- Serve the steaks with the peppercorn sauce spooned over the top.
Slice or serve the steaks immediately while they are still rosy at the centre, then spoon the sauce around and partly over the meat so the crust stays nicely seared rather than going soggy.
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