Fillet of beef with mixed peppercorn sauce

Fillet of beef with mixed peppercorn sauce

A delicious flash-fried steak with classic creamy sauce- cook to perfection for a special meal for two

Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Serves 2

Easily doubled

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 5 mins

Cook time

Cook 20 mins

Method

  1. Heat a frying pan over a medium-to-high heat, then pour in the oil and half of the clarified butter. Season the steak with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper and cook to your liking (2 mins each side for medium-rare, 3 mins each side for medium, depending on the thickness of your steaks). Be sure to seal the rounded edges, too. Transfer to a plate.
  2. Add the knob of butter to the pan, then fry the shallots, mushrooms and peppercorns over a medium heat for 5 mins, until the shallots have softened and the mushrooms browned. Return the steaks to the pan. Heat the brandy in a metal ladle, light with a match then carefully pour into the hot pan, standing as far back as you can. Once the pan has stopped flaming, remove the steaks again.
  3. Pour the wine into the pan, turn up the heat and boil rapidly until reduced by half. This will take about 5 mins. Add the stock and reduce again, this time by two-thirds. Stir the cream in to the sauce and allow it to thicken slightly. Check the sauce for seasoning, then return the fillets to the pan to warm through, spooning the sauce over. Serve straight away.
Try

Know-how

The process of clarifying butter removes the milk solids, which burn easily when frying at high temperatures. To make your own clarified butter, melt a little more butter than you need in a small pan, then drain off the yellow part, discarding the white solids left at the bottom.

594 kcalories, protein 32g, carbohydrate 1g, fat 42 g, saturated fat 21g, fibre 1g, sugar 1g, salt 0.57 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, September 2006.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • Binder photo Marian

    05 January 2008

    Marian commented on this recipe

    I used a red onion as I didnt have any shallots and black peppercorns. It was lovely but I will be trying it with the right ingredients listed.

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  • Binder photo sues cafe

    04 February 2008

    sues cafe rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I made this for just me and my hubby. it scored 10/10 from both of us. We had home made chips. One to add to our favorites and one to make when we have our friends around.

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  • Binder photo Joanne

    25 February 2008

    Joanne rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Brilliant recipe. I made it for my Fiance for Valentines day and he was most impressed. I will use this recipe again, and again!

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  • Binder photo Steve111

    30 May 2008

    Steve111 commented on this recipe

    Made this for my partner who needed chering up. I made it with cubed potatoes tossed in a blend of cajun spice with cracked pepper corns, then roasted (experiment!). "Great sauce and love the spuds" her words not mine. Very enjoyable.

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  • Binder photo Madeleine

    20 August 2008

    Madeleine rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Used sirloin, but think will use fillet if doing this again, sauce was beautiful. Everyone loved it. Served with home-made chunky chips and watercress and roast tomato salad drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

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  • Binder photo toffeebanoffee

    07 November 2008

    toffeebanoffee rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Joanne

    25 January 2009

    Joanne commented on this recipe

    I know I have already made a comment but I had to add that I made this dish for my brother in law (who swears down he doesn't like mushrooms or pepper) and he loved it!!!

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  • Binder photo varitek

    22 March 2009

    varitek rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Excellent

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  • Binder photo Adam

    25 April 2009

    Adam rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Excellent. This is now a firm favourite on repeat servings.

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  • Binder photo mhr035

    22 July 2009

    mhr035 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Absolutely fantastic - you will impress all your guests every time. We had boiled baby potatoes with butter, salt and mint leaves and a salad with it.

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  • Binder photo jayne

    28 August 2009

    jayne commented on this recipe

    This sauce is fantastic, I used creme fraiche instead of cream and added many more mushrooms to give the sauce more texture. My boyfriend is hooked on it and says it is the best peppercorn sauce he has ever eaten. Yum!

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  • Binder photo Jo

    23 September 2010

    Jo rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This recipe is our favourite; I have to leave out the mushrooms (parky hubby) but it's still fab! Making it tonight for a celebrations; but it's normally our Saturday evening meal! Jo - (looking forward to her dinner) :-)

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  • Binder photo Sunshiner

    03 October 2010

    Sunshiner rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo BIG TIM

    15 October 2010

    BIG TIM commented on this recipe

    I never leave comments for anything but actually went to the trouble of registering cos I thought the recipe was so good. Fantastic sauce, probably the best I've had. I cooked it for my wife and did it with cubed potatoes, par boiled, pan fried to brown and then finished in oven, drizzled with olive oil and with garlic and rosemary. I will definitely use this recipe again.

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  • Binder photo Ashtic

    14 January 2011

    Ashtic rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This sauce was delicious. I used normal butter and mixed peppercorns and it still tasted fantastic.

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  • Binder photo VickiHazael

    12 March 2011

    VickiHazael rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I made this for the first time last night. I thought it looked a bit involved when I read through it but in reality it was pretty simple. I didn't have a metal ladle so I used a saucepan instead, not the safest idea when pouring flammable brandy, so I'll definitely be purchasing one for next time! My boyfriend said it was the best steak and sauce he'd had in his life!!!

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  • Binder photo Elizabeth

    31 December 2011

    Elizabeth commented on this recipe

    I cooked this as a special New Years Eve meal for my husband. He loved it. I used sirloin and it worked brilliantly. Fabulous meal, really tasty, I will definitely used it again.

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  • Binder photo Meurig

    29 January 2012

    Meurig rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I really can't think of a better sauce than this one to go with fillet steak. It adds beautifully to the taste of the meat without overpowering it. If you do nothing else, try this sauce......!!

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  • Binder photo Charlotte

    16 February 2012

    Charlotte commented on this recipe

    I followed the recipe completely, it was very nice but it had a very strong flavour to it. was this the same for everyone else?

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  • Binder photo Dk

    12 May 2012

    Dk commented on this recipe

    Perfect recipe to really showcase the fillet

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Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Serves 2

Easily doubled

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 5 mins

Cook time

Cook 20 mins

Totally traditional

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 25g clarified butter (see Know-how, below)
  • 2 fillet steaks (ideally beef matured for 3-5 weeks), about 140g/5oz each, at room temperature
  • knob of butter
  • 2 large shallots , finely chopped
  • 6 medium mushrooms , sliced
  • 2 tsp green and pink peppercorns , crushed
  • 3 tbsp brandy
  • 100ml red wine
  • 200ml good-quality beef stock
  • 3 tbsp double cream
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594 kcalories, protein 32g, carbohydrate 1g, fat 42 g, saturated fat 21g, fibre 1g, sugar 1g, salt 0.57 g

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