Côte de boeuf with pink peppercorn sauce and pan-fried mushrooms

The pink peppercorn sauce will solidify if not kept warm. It is best eaten the day it is made.

• serves

  2

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  40 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 20 g dried wild mushrooms (see Note)
• 90 g butter, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 kg T-bone steak (see Note)
• 100 g Swiss brown mushrooms, large ones halved
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 10 sage leaves, halved
• potato gratin and honeyed carrots, to serve

Pink peppercorn sauce

• 250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine
• 2 tbsp dried pink peppercorns
• 100 g crème fraîche or sour cream
• 160 g butter, chopped, at room temperature

Soaking time 20 minutes

Instructions

Soak dried mushrooms in a bowl of boiling water for 20 minutes. Drain and discard liquid.

To make peppercorn sauce, place wine and peppercorns in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes or until reduced by one-third. Stir in crème fraéche and cook for a further 2 minutes or until reduced by one-quarter. Remove from heat and stir in butter in 3 batches, ensuring butter melts after each addition. Cover and set aside in a warm place until needed.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat 40 g butter and 2 tsp oil in an ovenproof frying pan over medium heat. Add steak and cook for 3 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer pan to the oven and cook for 10 minutes for medium-rare, or until cooked to your liking.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 50 g butter and 2 tsp oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add Swiss browns and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes or until starting to brown. Add wild mushrooms, garlic and sage, and cook for a further 4 minutes or until golden.

Serve steak with mushrooms, peppercorn sauce, potato gratin and honeyed carrots.

Note

• Dried wild mushrooms are available from selected greengrocers and specialist food shops.

• T-bones aren’t sold prepacked at this weight. Ask your butcher to cut it for you.

As seen in Feast Magazine, Issue 15, pg77.

Photography by Brett Stevens  

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.