My absolute best way of preparing fillet steak and is the only way I will eat fillet steak! Absolutely divine! Lovely served with crispy crunchy or puffy onion rings!
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons bottled green peppercorns
4 fillet steaks each with a thickness of 2.5 -3cm, each weighing about 150g/5oz
Salt
50g / 2 oz butter
2 Tablespoons brandy (30ml)
150ml (1/4 pint) double cream
Few watercress sprigs for garnish is optional
Crush half the peppercorns & rub into the steaks. Season with salt to taste. Melt the butter in a large frying pan with a heavy bottom. Add the steaks & fry quickly on both sides until browned (Do NOT puncture meat. Instead use a pair of braai / barbecue tongs to turn meat). Cook for 3 -5 minutes on each side (For medium - rare 3 minutes each side). Never overcook, once overcooked it cannot be rectified. Always better to under cook that your mistake can always be corrected. (See bottom for tips). Once cooked to taste, pour over the brandy, remove from the heat & immediately set alight (Keep extractor fan OFF! It can suck up flames!). Once the flames have died down, arrange the steaks on a warmed serving dish. Add the cream to the pan & cook, without boiling for one minute. Add the remaining peppercorns. Spoon creamy peppercorn sauce over steaks immediately. Garnish with watercress & serve. I normally serve this with a green / Greek salad, baked potato with French fried onion rings (See bottom page). Everything must be ready when steaks are done. Enjoy!
Serves: 2
TO TEST STEAK FOR DONENESS:
RARE: 3 MIN EACH SIDE
MED-RARE: 5 MIN EACH SIDE
MED: 6 MIN EACH SIDE
WELL-DONE: 9-10 MIN EACH SIDE
TURN STEAKS ONCE ONLY!!
RARE: Three minutes on each side after searing. Most steak is still quite red inside, cooked on the outside.
MEDIUM RARE: After another two minutes, the outer cooked layer is thicker and the centre is still very moist. Colour if meat is paler than, not as red as rare steak.
MEDIUM: This requires about six minutes cooking on each side. Only centre of steak is slightly pink, outside is richly brown. Meat is still running with plenty of pink, almost-clear juices.
WELL-DONE: About nine to 10 minutes on each side. Never serve fillet steaks well done; such tender meat becomes very dry and flavourless.
Tips: Always mix a bit of oil with your butter (half & half) when used for frying to reduce burning point.
When searing steaks, have heat fairly high to seal juices into steaks, & once sealed in (outer edge appears cooked), lower heat as butter fat has high burning / smoking point. Mix 1/2 butter /1/2 oil helps to bring down this burning point.
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Oh those golden brown crispy fried onions.These are the best ever!! You won't stop crunching on these!!
- Oh those golden brown crispy fried onions.. Easier if you have a food processor, can shred lots this way using the slicer / shredder disk.
These are the best ever!! You won't stop crunching on these!! These golden brown crispy fried onions are lovely! Worth collecting just don’t salt while frying or will turn bitter & black. Salt only once you are draining in sieve. They dry out & they become lovely & crispy! I do everything in my 5 liter wok. Set aside to drain when done. During that time, heat 2 Tablespoons of Oil in another pan on medium high heat and saute the thinly sliced Onions till the Onion is golden brown. Stir only now and then in the beginning but do stir continuously towards the end to ensure even browning and to avoid burning. **Notes:Burning the Onion will ruin the taste of this dish. So do take extra care during those steps. Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and serve it to your family with love… - They sweat & release their water 1st & then they start drying up & that is when you must keep stirring checking the temp is correct not to burn them until they are golden brown & crispy then empty into sieve & only then do you salt! ..Enjoy!