Au Poivre Beef Tenderloin

Gnocchi with Browned Butter Sauce

Cacio De Pepe Brussel Sprouts

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Steak Au Poivre

2 thick-cut Steaks Beef Tenderloin or NY Strip steak, 6-8 ounces, about 1 1/2 – inches thick

Coarse salt

1Tablespoons whole black peppercorns crushed

1/2 Tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 cup Cognac or brandy

1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions:

1. At least 30 minutes up to an hour before cooking remove the steaks from the fridge. Sprinkle all sides of steaks with salt. Just before cooking, pat steaks dry with paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Generously coat all sides of steaks with the fresh ground black pepper, pressing it into the steaks.
2. Heat a large heavy cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add butter and olive oil. Just as butter begins to smoke, place steaks in pan for medium rare, cook for 4 minutes on each side. Adjust cook time for desired doneness, using a meat thermometer for doneness. Transfer to plate, cover loosely with foil.
3. Turn burners off. Carefully pour Cognac into hot frying pan. Carefully light the alcohol with a lighter and swirl the pan around until the flame burns out. Turn heat back on to medium. Whisking until sauce lightly thickens, about 6-8 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste, pour sauce over steaks.

Steak temperature:

Rare 125F, Medium Rare 135F, Medium 145F, Medium well 150F Well done 160F

Fresh Potato Gnocchi

yield: 2 servings

1 pound russet potatoes, firmly pressed and then riced

½ -3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Kosher salt for pasta water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

  Pierce each potato 3 times with a fork and bake on baking sheet at 400 degrees for 35-50 minutes, depending on size of potatoes. Use a fork to test potatoes and return to oven if still hard in the center. Remove from oven when done.

  While potatoes are still very hot, split each and cupping in a clean towel over your hand, scoop insides into a small mixing bowl. Measure 1 cup potato then scoop potatoes into a potato ricer and press through.

  Add beaten egg to riced potatoes, mix well, then sprinkle flour into mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until cohesive dough forms. Dough will cool significantly during mixing. Turn dough onto a clean work surface or silicone mat and knead by hand until smooth. If the dough is sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until dough is only slightly tacky.

Let sit for 10 minutes.

  Roll dough into a ball, then using both hands, roll it into a cylinder. Continue to roll until the dough is a rod ½ inch in diameter. Using a bench scraper, cut dough into ½ inch long chunks, lightly dusting with flour if necessary to prevent sticking. Pick up each piece and lightly roll it down a textured gnocchi board onto a lightly floured baking sheet. Gnocchi should all be of similar size for even cooking.

  Generously salt water and bring to a low boil (water should be as salty as seawater). Add all gnocchi at once for even cooking. When gnocchi floats and water returns to a boil for 1 minute, strain through a colander for 2 minutes, then sauce and serve immediately.

CACIO E PEPE BRUSSELS SPROUTS

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4teaspoons freshly ground pepper
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• 7 ounces shredded Brussels sprouts
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts or pecans, roughly chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the olive oil, pepper, and red pepper flakes together until toasted, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Add the Brussels sprouts and cook, without stirring, until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes.
• Season with the salt, and cook until the Brussels sprouts just begin to char, about 2 minutes.
• Remove the skillet from the heat and add the Parmesan, lemon zest, and hazelnuts.
• Serve warm, topped with more fresh Parmesan, if desired.

Vanilla Ice Cream

Yield: 8 servings

Ice Cream

2 ½  cups heavy cream

1 ½ cups whole milk

1 cup granulated sugar

6 large egg yolks

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon real vanilla extract or ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Caramel Sauce

1 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup water

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

¾ cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Toppings

Chopped nuts of choice

½ cup heavy cream for whipping

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon real vanilla extract

Prepare ice bath

 In a medium saucepan, combine cream, milk, vanilla, sugar and salt. At medium heat, bring mixture to 170-180 degrees, careful not to boil. Stir constantly to dissolve sugar and keep dairy products from scalding. Mixture is ready when bubbles appear around edges and steam begins to rise.  In a medium mixing bowl, add egg yolks and whisk vigorously until they become fluffy and turn a pale yellow color.  Move mixing bowl up against side of saucepan. Using an 8 oz ladle, drizzle hot cream mixture into egg yolks, slowly at first but with increasing speed on following ladles. Continue until 80% of cream is added and mixing bowl is hot to the touch. Transfer egg and cream mixture back to saucepan and heat on low until custard thickens slightly, careful not to let any of eggs cook to bottom of the pan. If whisked vigorously, foam will appear on top but will disappear quickly when mixture begins to thicken.