Fresh from the Market: Seasonal Cooking with Laurent Tourondel and Charlotte March
Fall into Cooking Featured Recipe: A Real Steak au Poivre with Green Oak Lettuce & Homemade Boursin from Laurent Tourondel’sFresh From the MarketYou can use whatever mix of peppercorns you prefer. I like to make variations on the recipe using other peppercorns such pink, white, green, Szechuan, or even Jamaican, commonly referred to as allspice. This recipe is great with dry-aged New York strip or rib-eye steak, or even duck breast, which my father makes at home. You can also simplify the meal by purchasing Boursin from your local cheese shop. --Laurent TourondelServes 6Ingredients6 tablespoons whole black peppercorns6 Black Angus beef tenderloin fillets, 10 to 12 ounces eachKosher salt3 tablespoons unsalted butter2 tablespoons canola oil1⁄4 cup finely diced shallots1⁄4 cup cognac or Armagnac1⁄2 cup veal or beef stock1⁄2 cup heavy creamSea salt and freshly ground black pepperHomemade Boursin (recipe below)3 heads baby green oak lettuce, cut in half lengthwisePrepare the fillets:Using the bottom of a heavy skillet, roughly crush the peppercorns.Generously salt both sides of the fillets with kosher salt and then press each side of the fillets into the cracked peppercorns, encrusting the steaks as lightly or heavily as you desire.Melt the butter with the oil in a large heavy sauté pan over medium heat. Once the foam of the butter begins to subside, the pan is hot enough. It is important that the pan not be too hot and smoking or the pepper will burn. Sear each side of the fillets until well browned and the pepper begins to form a crust, about 5 minutes. To check for doneness, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. The temperature should read 130˚ to 135˚F for medium-rare doneness.Transfer the fillets to a warm platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest while making the sauce.Make the sauce:Pour out all but 2 tablespoons of the fat in the pan.Place the pan over medium heat and add the shallots. Sauté until the shallots are just tender, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, about 1 minute.Lean away from the stove (averting your face) and pour the cognac into the pan; tilt the edge of the pan slightly over the burner flame to ignite the alcohol. The cognac will flame for a few seconds as the alcohol burns off. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 minute to thicken the sauce. Add the cream and simmer until thickened to sauce-like consistency, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Season the sauce to taste with sea salt and ground black pepper.To serve:Spread 2 tablespoons of the Boursin over the cut side of each halved head of lettuce.Place 1 fillet on each of 6 warm plates and spoon the sauce over the fillets.Set the lettuce alongside the fillets and serve.Wine suggestion: Serve a spicy, juicy Syrah with aromas of black cherries, black peppercorns, and baking spices, such as Colson Canyon, Tensley, 2006, Santa Barbara County, California.Homemade Boursin8 ounces fresh Coach Farm goat cheese2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley2 tablespoons heavy cream11⁄2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 tablespoon chopped shallots1 tablespoon granulated garlic1⁄2 teaspoon onion powderSea salt and freshly ground black pepperCombine the first 8 ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.From the first pale-green shoots of April asparagus to December's robust porcini and creamy sunchokes, food at its seasonal peak offers brilliant flavors. InFresh from the Market,Chef Laurent Tourondel presents fantastic recipes based on the seasonal, market-driven cooking philosophy that has made him one of America's most successful chefs and restaurateurs.This richly photographed cookbook covers cocktails, appetizers, soups, salads, main dishes, and desserts, along with complete menus for special occasions like an autumn wine harvest dinner or a festive New Year's Eve feast. Chef Tourondel selects the freshest seasonal ingredients and maximizes their flavors with simple cooking techniques.Features 167 recipes organized by season, along with complete menus for special occasions like Thanksgiving dinners and Independence Day barbecuesPacked with mouthwatering, full-color photography by renowned photographer Quentin BaconIncludes wine pairings, seasonality charts, sources, and other valuable and insightful informationWhether cooking with fava beans in spring, littleneck clams in summer, butternut squash in fall, or Meyer lemons in winter,Fresh from the Marketshows home cooks how to create incredible dishes from each season's glorious bounty.Recipe Excerpts fromFresh from the MarketRed Apple & Bourbon FizzBeef Shank StewMammy Louisette’s Ginger-Rhubarb Tart