Steak Au Poivre (Peppered Steaks With Cognac Cream Sauce)

• Sauce
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon beef bouillon
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon marsala wine or 1 tablespoon madeira wine
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1/4 cup cognac
• Steaks
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 (8 ounce) sirloin steaks, each 1-inch thick (room temperature)
• 2 tablespoons peppercorns, crushed (To crush, place the peppercorns in a plastic bag and flatten them with flat side of meat mallet)
• garlic salt, to taste
• 1/2 loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch thick rounds & toasted on both sides

1. In a saucepan, heat the cream until it reduces by half (20-30 minutes).
2. In a saute pan, heat the oil and butter.
3. Spread crushed peppercorns on a work surface.
4. Pat the steaks dry and coat both sides with an even layer of peppercorns, pressing in with heel of hand to make adhere; season to taste with garlic salt.
5. Lay the steaks in the pan.
6. Sear steaks over high heat to desired doneness (the steaks are medium-rare when they feel slightly resistant to touch and you can see a faint pearling of red juice on the surface).
7. Add bouillon, lemon juice, wine, and salt to the sauce, and stir.
8. When the steaks have cooked, remove them from the pan; pour in the brandy.
9. Ignite the brandy and, once the flames die down, stir to deglaze the pan; then add the brandy to the cream sauce.
10. Place each steak on a toasted slice of bread and top with sauce.

sauce, heavy cream, beef bouillon, lemon juice, marsala wine, salt, cognac, olive oil, butter, peppercorns, garlic salt, bread

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/steak-au-poivre-peppered-steaks-with-cognac-cream-sauce-243718 (may not work)